Login/Sign up Home About us Find an adviser Membership Conferences & Member Area Contact us About us SIFA was formed in April 1994 to provide collegiality for practitioners working in smaller independently owned and operated financial planning and advice practices. With the changing times, SIFA has evolved to embrace advisers from many different types of practices, big and small and SIFA remains committed to the spirit of the independent-minded adviser who works first and foremost for the benefit of clients. OUR MISSION We are first and foremost a registered Society of New Zealand financial advisers, committed to supporting our Members in the provision of quality financial advice to New Zealanders. Conferences SIFA's main activities are centred around the Society's twice a year conferences that run from midday on a Sunday to midday the following Tuesday. Organised entirely by our Members, SIFA aims to keep conference costs low thus enchancing the already compelling value proposition of a SIFA Membership. A typical SIFA conference provides between 8 and 10 hours of "Structured" CPD hours in subjects requested by Members to help them meet their Professional Development Plan requirements. We encourage advisers to try a SIFA Conference as a TRY BEFORE YOU BUY delegate. To learn more about our next conference and being a TBYB delegate, contact us today. ADVISER ADVOCACY SIFA has for several years been a leader in advocacy efforts on behalf of all NZ financial advisers by: Reviewing proposed legislation and regulation, including guidance notes and Code Committee proposals. Consulting with Members and other professional financial adviser bodies and associations plus legal, accounting and tax professionals. Researching regulatory activities in overseas jurisdictions and in other New Zealand professional sectors. Preparing submissions on the wide range of areas impacting New Zealand's financial advisers. Meeting with Ministers, staff in various Ministries (including MBIE, the Ministry of Business Innovation & Employment, and the Ministry of Justice), Commission for Financial Capability and FMA. Assisting Members with compliance related aspects and education. Liaising with mainstream and financial services media to stimulate discussion on issues impacting financial advisers and consumers of their services. SIFA advocates have spent hundreds of hours on these functions (e.g., AFA re-authorisation, AML/CFT, DIMS, AFA Annual Report, etc.), and are currently working extensively on the review of the Financial Advisers Act 2008 and Financial Service (Registration and Dispute Resolution) Act 2008. SIFA's submission to MBIE can be read here. SIFA members receive regular updates on the Government's regulatory activities, and their opinions/ideas are regularly canvassed to provide valuable input into the regulatory process. GOVERNANCE SIFA is a structured as a non-profit Society governed by its Members, for its Members. Each year, SIFA elects from its Members a Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. Other Members join the elected officers around the SIFA Committee table to hold regular meetings on conference programmes, advocacy and Membership needs. 2019-2020 Committee Members chair Chris Hardcastle TREASURER Karen Smart SECRETARY Ross Sheerin secretary.sifa@gmail.com memberS Dannie Hawkins Drew Hoffman Fiona Judd co-opted member for advocacy Murray Weatherston