The FBAA has committed to doing more to inform the public and journalists about the benefits of using brokers in the wake of negative coverage by mainstream media outlets.
Peter White of the FBAA said a recent opinion piece in the Herald Sun showed that there will always be a misunderstanding of the third-party channel by some journalists, and that the industry cannot rest on its laurels.
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“Mortgage broker, financial planner, financial planner, mortgage broker, hmmm, same same,” the article read.
Mr White said the association has already reached out to the journalist who wrote the article, and it will continue to be a positive voice for the industry across all media platforms.
“It is clear that some columnists have an anti-broker agenda, but other journalists simply don’t understand our role and the advantages to the consumer of using the services of a finance broker,” he said.
However, Mr White said it is pointless getting upset at every misinformed article that appears in the media.
“Our work to inform, educate and present the facts is ongoing and overall, it must be noted that the vast majority of public information about the broking sector is positive,” he said.
The FBAA’s response comes after it fired back at a column published by The Australian Financial Review last month that claimed that brokers were receiving excessive commissions.
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