The REIQ has welcomed the commitment from the Palaszczuk Government to introduce mandatory continuing professional development (CPD) for real estate professionals, but as of yet there is no time frame for the changes to come into place.
REIQ CEO Antonia Mercorella said the promise, made by Treasurer Jackie Trad, was the successful outcome the REIQ had been working towards.
“We have been lobbying hard for this outcome for the past three years and we congratulate Annastacia Palaszczuk on recognising the importance of this measure,” she said.
“Mandatory CPD is an important consumer protection measure and will help ensure that all real estate practitioners are educated about the laws and more than 40 pieces of legislation that govern their profession and impact on real estate transactions.”
As of yet, while the government have confirmed they are committed to bringing in the measure, there is no confirmation for what the CPD requirements will be, who will be able to deliver them and what the time frame for the changes will be.
Speaking to Elite Agent, a spokesperson for QLD Fair Trading said, “The Office of Fair Trading can confirm that the Government has made a commitment to introduce CPD for property agents. The details of the mandatory CPD scheme are currently being developed and are yet to be finalised. No decisions about a commencement date have been made at this time.”
The REIQ is calling for 100 CPD points to be completed by all agents each year, as is the current requirement for REIQ members.
“We know the majority of responsible working real estate agents support this. They are tired of labouring under the poor reputation that consumers have formed through interactions with the unprofessional few who fail to maintain their professional knowledge,” said Ms Mercorella.
Throughout 2017 Ms Mercorella and REIQ Chairman Rob Honeycombe met with all independent MPs and garnered unanimous support for mandatory CPD.
“This is a common-sense measure that most can see will raise the standard of professionalism and improve the quality of service,” Ms Mercorella said.
“It will also bring Queensland into line with many other states that have already, or are in the process of, introducing mandatory CPD.
“We look forward to working closely with all key stakeholders to usher in a new era of professionalism for this sector.”
