Let's face it, there aren't too many organizations that actually represent advisers. Why would an organization that has massive corporate donorship worry about my little $600-$800 annual membership fee.
The softly gently approach employed by the biggest associations has decimated the advice community and we must now take control of the future ourselves. The first step is to abandon any association that has not truly represented advisers.

Or bring back the ones who aren’t strong enough in their understanding of legislation or the advice process?
How do you disrespect the 16000 who pushed to prove themselves?

Because not everyone is a holistic advisor with skills in all areas. I am lucky to have been an all rounder for years, so passed the exam. However if I was a specialist in just insurance or stockbroking I wouldn’t have stood nearly as good a chance.

I believe that those specialists are an integral part of the advice landscape and the exam should be adjusted to cater for them.

The ultimate goal after all is providing services for the public, not a tit for tat, ‘if I did it, so should you’ approach between advisors.

100% agree.

If you include the advisers forced out of the industry, it's well over 10,000 that have not passed the exam. But most did not exit because of the exam - it became too difficult, risky, stressful and costly to be worthwhile unless you had high-net worth clients. It would seem that most of those who have left did not have wealthy, high net worth clients.

Who do you think the Liberals are beholden to? Coal mining and tobacco companies? Money in politics is not great but at least check where it comes from.

Mark relax – it is a caretaker Government, with, thankfully, Morrisons blessing. Just enough to do the job until the WRITS are returned and the numbers are final. Albo HAS to get on with the job with QUAD, and has secured the backing of two of the existing independents

However I do accept your concern as to whether Jones will get the financial services job. It wouldn't be the first time there was a slipup or a faction deal. Those with long memories will remember Hockey, who was negotiating with the AFA/FPA prior to the new regime , suddenly was sent off to Social Security rather than financial services. The result was an unmitigated disaster we have today, because the new minister didn't want to know.

The FP universe in Australia has far too many associations with differing agendas no wonder the former government didn’t listen to any. So there is a challenge for advisers get yourselves sorted like the MBAA and you might get better outcomes in the future.

North is cheap but frustrating to use so not my preferred platform…

You have missed the point, very few of those 16,000 would have chosen to sit the exam voluntarily.

Why hasn't AMP learnt that the vertical tied-Adviser distribution model is no longer fit for purpose? The Banks have learnt that lesson and have exited the Advice business. Their share price has recovered accordingly. Not that I would own an AMP share, but surely when the CEO announces that a division of the organisation will continue to make substantial losses and Funds outflow are still in the Billions of dollars per quarter, the market will continue to write down the value of the Company and it's share price. Please AMP, the writing is on the wall, read it and move on!

If there is ANY watering down or concessions for Advice delivered by Super funds Mr Johnston will be and should be directly responsible.

"Fence sitting or mixed member associations backing government legislation against the wishes of minority factions must end. "

...so why argue for 900 advisers who havent passed an exam when 16,000 have? I'm a little confused.

Maybe they could introduce legislation that makes them accountable for the statements they make (Maybe like our industry), then they could be charged for deceptive and misleading conduct

She's not gone just where she can do no damage. Unlike FPs who have to get voted in by every client every year she has a 6 year term.

I urge every adviser to read the Rivers Of Gold paper produced a few years ago, analysing the massive volume of funds siphoned from Industry Super every year to the Trade Unions and associated entities, onlky to make its way back to the Labor Party via political donations.
It is a staggering amount of money.
Since Albanese has won power, I have heard him mention the Trade Union movement on every single occasion.
The Industry Super Funds will be left and fully supported to do whatever they wish.

Hume was absolutely appalling agreed, however Julie Bishop is one who is caught up in her own importance, brand and image.
Julie Bishop is just another pretender.

Calm down. It's a just a skeleton ministry at this stage until the full results are clear.

Philippa, thanks again for organising the survey - it was an insightful, but sobering exercise.
Please pass on the survey results to the newly elected independent members and the media.

I used to be a Liberal voter but the last few years of attacks have changed that. It is not a matter of things getting better, it is just that they couldn't get any worse (touch wood).