½ñÈÕÈÈÃÅʼþtoday provided an update on the proposal to introduce a national examination for financial advisers.
½ñÈÕÈÈÃÅʼþhas decided to delay work on the implementation of the exam to allow appropriate time for other reforms to be implemented in the financial advice sector, notably the Future of Financial Advice (FOFA) package.
½ñÈÕÈÈÃÅʼþviews the exam as a very important initiative to ensure consistent national standards for advisers. ½ñÈÕÈÈÃÅʼþwill continue to explore options to implement this proposal at the appropriate time once the FOFA reforms have been bedded down.
In the coming months, ½ñÈÕÈÈÃÅʼþwill also consult on enhancements to the training standards for financial product advisers. ASIC’s proposed enhancements to the training standards for advisers underline the importance of strengthening the framework for adviser competency and thereby improving the overall quality of financial advice.
‘We want consumers to have greater access to quality financial advice and greater confidence in advisers. Having this framework in place, including the enhanced training standards, is an important element in achieving this objective,’ ½ñÈÕÈÈÃÅʼþChairman Greg Medcraft said.
Background
In April 2011 ½ñÈÕÈÈÃÅʼþissued Consultation Paper 153 Licensing: Training and assessment framework for financial advisers (CP 153) in which it sought feedback on proposals regarding an assessment and professional development framework for financial advisers, which included a national exam (refer 11-75MR).
Feedback to CP 153 has been largely supportive.
In June 2012, ½ñÈÕÈÈÃÅʼþannounced the next phase of its consultation with the financial advice industry about its proposal to implement a national examination for financial advisers (refer 12-146MR).