Andrea Slattery

With our national conference behind us, and as a 2014 unfolds amid several inquiries critical to our industry, I thought it was an important time to remind members of the core values that underpin SPAA. These are the values on which we will never comprise, having been inculcated into our DNA over the past 11 years.

Professionalism, independence, advocacy and thought leadership, and an unwavering commitment to improving educational standards to build a profession that allows trustees to make informed decisions. These things are what we stand for; it can be no less.

Realising the importance of these inquiries to our industry and Australia’s future, both our Patron, the former Chief Justice of the High Court, Sir Anthony Mason, and myself, used our opening addresses to the national conference in February to reiterate the principles underpinning SPAA.

It was Sir Anthony who articulated it best when he told the 1400 delegates that SPAA has vigorously encouraged the rise of a system of SMSF professionals, professionals who are dedicated and committed to providing advice to stakeholders in the sector.

It was a message I reinforced when I reminded delegates that in less than 10 years we will witness the first generation of Australians who will have accumulated sizeable assets under compulsory superannuation. Additional skills, capabilities and competent professionals will be critical to advise on how these assets are managed, as well as all the related services germane to our industry.

As we all know, the SMSF sector is, by its very nature, both disparate and diverse. That’s why it requires an umbrella group that understands all stakeholders’ myriad interests and can represent and service those interests.

SPAA is the only organisation that can make this claim because it is recognised by the Government, Opposition, regulators, and the civil service as the preeminent body in self managed super.

The reason this recognition is bestowed on SPAA is self evident; they all know the values we espouse and who we represent – a membership boasting all the skills required of an SMSF professional and having a combined direct reach to more than two-thirds of the one million SMSF trustees. In short, we are the standard bearer for the SMSF profession, the custodian for members/trustees.

This is why SPAA commits to continually improving professional standards and has created a career pathway for existing professionals and new entrants to build our industry, with the focus we place on education proof positive of this.

SPAA has always valued its independence. It is why we only allow individuals to join, ensuring we truly represent the voice of all SMSF professionals.

It was our commitment to advocacy and thought leadership, underpinned by rigorous research, which allowed a more complete picture of our sector to be embedded in the Cooper report, and, be rest assured, this same commitment will typify how we approach the Financial Systems Inquiry, the review of the tax system, and the inquiry into income streams to examine the payment of superannuation and social security benefits.

Andrea Slattery, CEO, SMSF Professionals’ Association of Australia (SPAA)

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