Securitor joins AFA

Securitor, one of BT Financial Group's (BTFG's) major dealer groups with 450 financial advisers, has joined the Association of Financial Advisers (AFA).

BTFG head of dealer groups Matt Englund said the decision was based on the group's ongoing commitment to supporting the financial planning industry and its professionalism.

"All of our authorised representatives must be members of a professional association. We want to provide Securitor practices with access to professional industry associations that can represent their interests," Englund said.

"We have been impressed by the quality of the AFA's membership program, their commitment to the industry and their passion for representing advisers," he said. 

BTFG was a principal member of the Financial Planning Association (FPA) until the association cancelled the principal membership category earlier this year. A BT spokesperson said BTFG and Securitor would be continuing to work with the FPA and the AFA membership would not be replacing the group's relationship with the FPA.

AFA chief executive Richard Klipin welcomed Securitor on board, and said the AFA had experienced 26 per cent membership growth over the calendar year - now representing more than 7,000 financial advisers through its relationships with licensees and individual members. In July, Guardian Advice also announced it would be joining the AFA while continuing to work with the FPA.

"Given all that is happening around the Future of Financial Advice reforms, recruiting more licensees to the AFA is part of the ongoing mission. It has never been more important to ensure that the voice of financial advisers is heard in our communities and in Canberra. The more voices we have, the louder our concerns will be heard," Klipin said.