The 2022 AFA Thrive Conference delivered great content and value for just under 500 delegates as members gathered for the first time since the 2019 AFA Conference in Adelaide.
The event was conducted on the Gold Coast across three days, at which delegates participated in a spectrum of experiences that included plenary and break-out sessions, social events, ‘Meet the Professionals’ and ‘Meet the Experts’ speed sessions, industry exhibitions and other informal networking opportunities.
Content
Delegates were provided with updates on the status of key regulatory reform proposals and other measures that will impact the future of their advice processes and their advice businesses. Much of the policy update was delivered by AFA CEO, Phil Anderson, and the conference also heard from Financial Services Minister, Stephen Jones, Quality of Advice Review leader, Michelle Levy, other association chiefs and four of the industry’s major life company CEOs, who reflected on present day issues, with a view to the future. See:
- Time Running Out for 500
- Consumer Protection is Minister’s North Star
- Michelle Levy at AFA Conference…
Other speakers shared stories of resilience and of overcoming the odds to achieve an outcome, while delegates also heard from many of their adviser peers in both large and smaller forums during the conference, and from other key industry service providers, each of whom added value in sharing their various messages.
Details of the historic AFA/FPA merger proposal were aired, and key questions addressed as both associations work towards engaging with their members ahead of the all-important vote which will determine the future of the proposed merger:
Optimism
Despite the continuing decline in adviser numbers in Australia, there appeared to exist a mood of optimism among adviser and other delegates, who seemed to mostly agree that better times are around the corner – based on the strong and realistic possibility of meaningful regulatory change through the mechanism of the Quality of Advice Review and also through the emerging realisation that technology solutions will be able to deliver significant efficiency savings for all advice processes and for all advice businesses.
Adviser Awards
Recognition of outstanding advisers, courtesy of the AFA Awards process, also highlighted the high benchmarks set by the best advisers in the industry, and reaffirmed the value of advice and the critically important role it plays in lives of so many Australians:
Final AFA Annual Conference?
Depending on the outcome of the AFA/FPA merger proposal, this may have been the final AFA Conference. If it was, then it will be remembered as an event that delivered value for its members and other delegates and demonstrated the association’s relevance for the adviser community – past, present and future.
