General Manager Update - October

This is a particularly exciting update that I have the pleasure of sharing with you today. There's been a lot going on!

As I write this, the SCAQ team is busy making the final preparations on what I am calling 'Next-level' November - for all the right reasons. In November we will be holding our SCAQ Leadership Retreat in beautiful Byron Bay, where we will be exploring the deeper concepts involved in value propositions and delivering customer value. I'm particularly looking forward to working through this issue as the sector grapples with decreasing lot fees. Value is very different to price.

We are also gearing up for the Strata Community Annual Awards for Excellence on 10 November which is shaping up to be a brilliant night. The calibre of entrants has been amazing and we will be celebrating the winners with close to 400 strata professionals on the evening. This night is also the first of our 40th birthday celebrations as SCAQ celebrates its 40th year. It's not too late to get tickets and I promise you, you don't want to miss this event! Tickets are available here.

Our team, and the SCAQ Board is also preparing for our AGM which is slated for the end of November. All eligible financial members will be receiving more detail on this and your voting information in the coming week. This is an important way for members to engage with the association and help to shape its future.

In addition, we have recruited three new staff members who are joining our team over the coming month. Karsten Duvel has started with us as Policy & Communications Officer. Jeremy Barrett joins us as Membership & Administration Officer and Angela Davidson is our Learning & Development Officer. These new members will significantly increase the capability of our team in strategic roles that are concerned with delivering what you have asked for.

I want to personally thank all members who have been incredibly understanding during this time of minimal staffing - I appreciate your empathy and share all your pain in terms of being short-staffed.

It has been very pleasing to see our advocacy and stakeholder relations efforts bearing fruit. Successful government relations is much like tending a garden - it takes constant attention, the right messaging in the right conditions, and the right amount of fertilising and watering at the right times. We have been working literally around the clock on ensuring the voice of strata is heard and recent hearings in parliament show that it is not only being heard but heeded.

Further on advocacy, your SCAQ team has been actively engaging with SCA National on their strategic plan and continues to advocate strongly on SCANSIT and all areas of national policy. There will be information coming to members imminently on directions regarding insurance disclosures (post Trowbridge) and we are working to ensure this is what you need and want.

I'm also delighted to welcome Strata Community Insurance as a Platinum Partner of SCAQ. This is a particularly exciting partnership for us and I am looking forward to working closely with Amanda, Con and Paul on our shared vision for professional strata.

If you have any questions or feedback please don't hesitate to contact me at laura.bos@strata.community

Laura Bos

SCAQ General Manager