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Consumers and real estate agents will suffer from 'dumbing down' of professionals standards
30 May 2011
REINSW says planned changes to national occupational licensing will seriously diminish professional standards in the real estate sector and ultimately harm both consumers and agents.
The proposed changes follow agreement by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) to develop a national licensing system across a range of professions in order to remove inconsistencies between states and territories and enhance consumer protection.
REINSW says the National Occupational Licensing System, to come into effect in July 2012, will dumb down professional standards and undermine consumer confidence.
“Put bluntly, both real estate agents and consumers are being set up to fail by these new national licensing changes,” said REINSW President Wayne Stewart.
“REINSW understands that not only will the new licensing system enshrine inadequate two-day courses but it will also abolish any ongoing professional development.
“It is ludicrous that in NSW a person can achieve the regulated education requirement in 48 hours – yet this practice, which the REINSW has strenuously opposed, may be introduced Australia wide.
“Does anyone seriously believe that two days is sufficient to equip a person with the skills, knowledge and education on the intricacies of a property transaction?
“Yet despite the inherent inadequacy of training, we are asking these same people to advise consumers on complex property transactions and matters involving assets of significant value.
“Further, REINSW is also deeply concerned that the existing Continuing Professional Development program, which is the mandatory skills refresher for practising agents, will be abandoned under the new system.
“Real estate is governed by a complex legislative framework that is constantly undergoing change. However, under the new national licensing system there will be no requirement to maintain the agent’s professional skills.
“Entrenching minimum education and training standards, and removing the need for ongoing professional development, will impact not only the consumer but the practitioner as well.
“We need to be encouraging higher levels of entry-level education and skill development.
“Consumers deserve the highest standards of professional service, and to achieve that we need to reverse this ‘dumbing down’ of the educational requirements for the profession.
“REINSW calls on COAG to reconsider these disturbing elements of the proposed national licensing system and to remove them in the interests of the consumer and the profession”, said Mr Stewart.
Please direct media enquiries to Julian Brophy on 0408 276 749
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