News in Brief

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  • Sentry Awards Best and Brightest
  • FPA Seeks Member Views on FASEA Proposals

Sentry Awards Best and Brightest

Keith Sheppard (R) and Sentry Head of Business Development, David Newman

Financial advisory group, Sentry Advice has named the winners of its 2017 Excellence Awards, including a specific award for life risk advice.

Queensland practice, Wealth Connexion, was named as Practice of the Year and Perth based adviser, Keith Sheppard of Financial Planning Solutions Australia was named as Adviser of the Year.

A second Queensland practice, Lifecover Australia, was awarded Life Risk Practice of the Year for the second consecutive year while regional practices were also recognised in Western Australia (PMM Wealth Advisors), Victoria/South Aust/Tasmania (YV Financial Services) and Queensland (AdviceOne Financial Services).

Sentry also recognised a long serving adviser and a newcomer with Les King of YV Financial Services in Victoria named as Senior Adviser of the Year, and Matthew Yates of Byfields Wealth Management named as Rising Star Adviser of the Year.

Sentry Group Chief Executive and Chair, Murray Hills said, “These awards recognise our most successful advisers and practices measured not only by the delivery of best practice advice, but also their success in building solid advice businesses with high client satisfaction.”

FPA Seeks Member Views on FASEA Proposals

FPA Chair, Neil Kendall

The FPA has requested feedback from its members on the proposed education standards released by FASEA, stating the latter does not adequately recognise those who have already undertaken degree level study.

The Association stated that it has asked its 13,700 members and affiliates to complete an online questionnaire on the potential impact of the proposed standards as it reviews the implication of the guidelines released by FASEA.

FPA Board Chair, Neil Kendall said the Association supported the raising of education standards but believes the proposal “…does not give sufficient recognition to financial advisers who have completed a degree and undertaken additional studies in financial planning”.

“Failure to recognise study completed by existing financial planners is likely to reduce the availability of financial planners and drive up costs for consumers,” Kendall said.

He urged members to complete the questionnaire as feedback on the education standards and codes of ethics will be the first requirements advisers will have to meet if the proposals are adopted.