Financial adviser dealer group Matrix Planning Solutions says it has received a very positive response to its call for the Financial Planning Association (FPA) and Association of Financial Advisers (AFA) to bury the hatchet and merge.

Matrix made headlines with a letter to the two industry organisations that has been picked up by news media.

“From the blogs and phone calls I’ve been getting, people are saying it’s common sense. Let’s hope people pursue this and have a proper conversation,” Matrix MD Rick Di Cristoforo told insuranceNEWS.com.au.

The Matrix plan proposed one unified representative organisation, taking the focus away from the divisive debate on fees versus commissions.

The FPA and AFA locked horns last year over the issue. The FPA advocates a move away from commissions to a fee-for-service model, while the AFA argues clients should be able to choose.

AFA National President Jim Taggart has welcomed the debate inspired by the Matrix letter, saying it is “tapping into a range of views prevalent in some parts of the market place”.

The FPA declined to comment for insuranceNEWS.com.au.

Mr Di Cristoforo says he questions whether the two bodies representing the same industry are really listening to their constituents.

“I wonder whether they’re philosophically different, or if it’s the language which is different,” he said.