The Financial Services Council (FSC) is continuing to attract financial advice dealer groups to its membership.

The latest members to join include Infocus Money Management, AFS Group, Dixon Advisory Group, Matrix Financial Planning and WHK Group.

FSC CEO John Brogden told insuranceNEWS.com.au the move comes after the Financial Planning Association (FPA) decided earlier this year to ban dealer groups as members.

“That means we are now the voice of the financial advice network,” he said. “We will not represent individual advisers – that is the role of the FPA and the Association of Financial Advisers.

“We see us as being complementary to their roles.”

Mr Brogden says the dealer groups need to represented when lobbying governments and responding to legislative changes.

The FSC already provides advocacy support for a number of advisers who are part of the larger financial services companies such as AMP and MLC, which have been FSC members for a number of years.

The FSC has also become the voice of the life insurers, and Mr Brogden confirmed the life insurance conference for the industry will now become a regular fixture.

The council is also planning to organise a legal and compliance conference later this year, run on the same lines as the life insurance event.