Financial Advice Association Australia will continue advocating “fearlessly” for the profession, Chair David Sharpe says in a message marking the peak body’s first anniversary.

The group was formed after members of the Association of Financial Advisers and the Financial Planning Association voted in February last year to merge the two.

“We now have a unified, credible voice speaking for the lion’s share of professional advisers in this country,” Mr Sharpe said in a LinkedIn post.

Over the past year the association has made almost 50 submissions and scored a few “wins” such as broader tax deductibility for financial advice fees, he says.

“So where to from here? We continue to advocate fearlessly for our members, not the least of which is [around] continued reduction of red tape with [Quality of Advice Review reforms] ... and, importantly, a focus on rebuilding numbers in financial advisers, as this represents future staff members to support business growth, succession and the overall health of our profession.

“Yes, there will be challenges and frustrations, but so too is there much to be optimistic about. We work in a profession that gets to see positive and meaningful change in the lives of our clients and the board is absolutely united and committed to serving and supporting our members and our profession.”