NAT: SCA Comments on ethics, conflicts and the future of the strata industry

This article and video outlines SCA’s six steps plan to address concerns about ethics and rebuild trust in the strata industry. We discuss transparency, insurance commissions and kickbacks, conflicts of interest, strata management as a ‘profession’ and whether SCA is genuinely committed to its code of conduct. Alisha Fisher, CEO of SCA Australasia, concludes the interview by addressing where SCA sees the future of the strata industry.

Video: SCA Comments on ethics, conflicts, kickbacks and the future of the strata industry

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This conversation between Nikki Jovicic from Lookupstrata and Alisha Fisher from SCA National was recorded on 21 May, 2024. In March, ABC published a news report about the launch of a new ABC investigation into ethics and the national strata management industry. ABC’s initial reporting centered around prominent SCA (NSW) member Netstrata. During the article, strata industry stakeholders called for change, more transparency and accountability.

Alisha Fisher, CEO of SCA Australasia outlines SCA’s six steps plan to address concerns about ethics and rebuild trust in the strata industry.

During the interview, we cover the following questions:

Why is it important to have this conversation?
Can you give a really quick overview of SCA’s Six Steps to Ensure Confidence? What’s the overall goal, and how were they formulated?
SCA (NSW) has a further 4 steps or initiatives. Is that something that other states are developing?
For those who haven’t heard of SCA’s best practice insurance disclosure guide, what is it? How will it be implemented, and why is there a change in the timeframe for bringing the guide in earlier?
Do you think there is enough emphasis on transparency in the six steps?
To what extent does the insurance disclosure guide address concerns raised about transparency and potential remuneration structures within the industry?
Given the public level of disquiet surrounding insurance commissions and kickbacks, what are SCA’s concerns and considerations for implementing a definitive ‘no commissions or kickbacks’ stance?
Have there been perceptions that the SCA’s complaints management process lacked the necessary effectiveness? How will appointing an independent Chair for the SCA Australasia complaints and conduct panel improve the current process, and how do people access that process?
How can consumers and members be reassured that SCA is genuinely committed to its code of conduct?
You’ve said you’ll create a best practice guideline for conflicts of interest in the sector. How are you going to ensure that it will cover some of the ethical questions that have been raised recently?
We’ve heard a lot from SCA about how they want their members to be regarded as ‘professionals’ and strata management to be a ‘profession’. What do you think ‘professional’ looks like? Are there features and actions that you think are indicators of both professional and unprofessional behaviour in strata management?
There are two reviews of Netstrata, one by SCA (NSW) and one by Fair Trading. What impact will they have on this work and its outcomes? What do you hope to achieve from these reviews?
What additional support will SCA member businesses have under the six steps plan?
So where to from here?

Alisha Fisher
SCA Australasia
alisha.fisher@strata.community

This post appears in Strata News #696.

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