President and CEO Report – Second Edition 2026

SCA remains focused on strengthening the profession, supporting members and ensuring the sector is equipped for the future.

Advocacy and Industry Leadership

Across the states and chapters, locally SCA has continued to advocate for practical, evidence-based reforms that improve consumer outcomes while recognising the operational realities of managing increasingly complex strata and community title developments. Across multiple jurisdictions, governments are actively considering reforms relating to governance, professional standards, records management, dispute resolution, consumer protections and building quality.

A key theme emerging across many of these discussions is the growing recognition that strata communities are now a critical component of housing policy. As governments increasingly rely on higher-density housing to meet future housing demand, there is greater acknowledgement of the need for effective governance frameworks, professional management and sustainable long-term maintenance of strata communities.

Research and Industry Data

The NSW Building Commissioner’s 2025 Strata Defects Survey* provided important insights into the prevalence and nature of building defects within apartment developments. The report highlighted the value of collecting meaningful data to better understand building performance, consumer experiences and emerging risks.

Encouragingly, a number of governments and regulators are now considering similar initiatives within their own jurisdictions. SCA strongly supports the collection of consistent, reliable data that can help improve building quality, inform policy development and increase consumer confidence in apartment living.

The recently released 2026 Macquarie Strata Benchmarking Report** provides valuable insights into the operational and financial challenges facing strata management businesses across Australia. The report highlights an industry experiencing increasing pressure from rising costs, growing compliance obligations and the complexity of managing larger and more demanding strata communities. Importantly, the report identifies a trend of “squeeze”, in which traditional growth strategies are no longer sufficient to maintain profitability and performance.

Work has commenced on the 2026 Australasian Strata Insights Report, produced in partnership with UNSW and released every two years***. The report remains the most comprehensive snapshot of the strata sector across Australia and New Zealand and provides invaluable information regarding the size, value and characteristics of strata communities.

Importantly, 2026 is also Census year. Census data continues to play a vital role in helping governments, industry and researchers understand who is living in strata communities and how those communities continue to evolve. The information gathered will support future advocacy efforts and contribute to a deeper understanding of housing trends across Australia.

Education and Professional Development

Following its registration earlier this year as SCA’s Registered Training Organisation, Strata Education Ltd has now commenced qualification delivery, providing nationally recognised training pathways specifically designed for the strata profession. This represents a major milestone in the ongoing professionalisation of the sector and supports the development of future leaders across the industry.

In addition to qualification delivery, significant work has been undertaken to support emerging regulatory requirements. A dedicated education package has been developed to assist Officers in Effective Control in meeting the requirements of the new Owners Corporations (Education) Regulations 2026. This initiative reinforces SCA’s commitment to ensuring members have access to practical, high-quality education that supports compliance, governance and professional excellence.

The continued expansion of SCA’s education offering remains a key strategic priority as the complexity and responsibilities of strata management continue to increase.

Events and Industry Engagement

The 2026 Australasia Conference in Adelaide was a tremendous success, bringing together industry professionals, business leaders, government representatives and suppliers from across Australia and New Zealand to share knowledge, explore emerging trends and discuss the future of the profession.

Planning is already underway for the 2027 Australasia Conference, which will be held in Perth. We look forward to bringing the industry together once again and continuing the important conversations that will shape the future of strata management.

Looking ahead, we look forward to our strata management members joining the upcoming Senior Leaders Forum. This year’s theme, Smarter Operations, reflects one of the most significant challenges facing the profession today. Designed to help leaders reimagine how their businesses operate and create capacity to focus on what matters most, supporting clients and communities, the forum will provide business leaders and managers with an opportunity to explore how internal processes can be streamlined, teams empowered and technology leveraged to create more efficient, sustainable and client-focused organisations.

Governance and Strategic Planning

The Board has continued to focus on strengthening governance arrangements and ensuring the organisation remains well positioned for future growth.

Work is progressing to further align national operations and strengthen collaboration across the organisation. This
ongoing focus on alignment seeks to improve consistency, maximise resources and enhance the value delivered to members while maintaining strong local engagement and representation.

The coming months will also see the commencement of work on SCA’s next Australasia Strategy. The 2027–2030 Strategic Plan will provide a roadmap for the organisation’s future direction and establish priorities that respond to the rapidly changing environment in which our members operate.

Looking Ahead

The strata sector continues to play an increasingly important role in the housing future of Australia and New Zealand.
With that growth comes greater responsibility to ensure communities are well governed, professionally managed and supported by appropriate policy settings.

SCA remains committed to leading that conversation through advocacy, education, research and professional development.

On behalf of the Board, we thank our members, volunteers, partners, advisory groups and staff for their continued
support and contribution to the profession. Together, we continue to strengthen the industry and build confidence in strata living across Australasia.

ALISHA FISHER,
SCA AUSTRALASIA CEO 

JOSHUA BALDWIN,
SCA AUSTRALASIA PRESIDENT

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