The Strata Community Association of Australasia has named Stephen Phillips as independent chair of its Professional Standards and Membership Board Advisory Group, tasked with handling complaints against SCA members.

“The appointment of Stephen Phillips realises one of the goals of our six-step plan to ensure confidence – giving consumers and members more faith in the robustness of our member code of conduct and complaints process,” association CEO Alisha Fisher said.

“Any person at any time can contact SCA through our process and make a complaint against an SCA member and know that an independent person will evaluate and action their complaint as appropriate.”

The association says Mr Phillips brings “unparalleled” expertise in leadership, governance and strategic oversight across various sectors, having held CEO and director roles in business, government and non-profit entities.

Mr Phillips says on LinkedIn he looks forward to collaborating with his SCA team to “ensure rigorous compliance and uphold the SCA code of conduct”.

The association’s six-step plan aims to improve public confidence in the sector amid concerns over strata manager commissions and fee disclosure practices. It includes appointing an independent chair for the complaints and conduct panel.

An ABC report earlier this year focused on one strata management company’s alleged practices around fees, and that led to wider concerns about the sector.

Ms Fisher says the SCA has taken the media coverage and subsequent criticisms of the strata sector seriously.

“And we’ve engaged with the overwhelming majority of stakeholders both within and outside the sector in the time since the report. We know how many great strata managers and strata industry professionals are out there, working hard for their committees and delivering brilliant outcomes to the strata communities they manage year after year.

“But what we also know is that there are some strata professionals falling short of that mark, which is why we formulated our six-step plan to reinforce confidence in the industry.”