Australian Institute of Conveyancers - NSW Division

18/08/2026

Update | Stronger Licensing & Enforcement Powers Introduced

The FTBLA Bill introduces stronger regulatory and enforcement powers across NSW’s property, conveyancing and construction sectors.

Under the Conveyancers Licensing Act 2003 and other legislation, NSW Fair Trading and Building Commission NSWnow have broader powers to protect consumers and uphold industry standards.

🔹 Licence Refusal & Cancellation
Licences can be refused or cancelled where they have been obtained through misrepresentation, invalid qualifications or administrative error.
🔹 Anti-Phoenixing Measures
Individuals with a history of misconduct can be prevented from re-entering the conveyancing or property industry through new businesses or corporate structures.
🔹 Certifier Accountability
Building Commission NSW can take disciplinary action against private certifiers for misconduct, even where they attempt to surrender their registration to avoid investigation.

These reforms strengthen entry requirements and make it easier to remove unsuitable operators from the property sector — helping protect consumers and maintain confidence in the industry.

11/08/2026

📢 ATO Update: Changes to GST at Settlement enquiries

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has updated the phone prompts for GST at Settlement enquiries made by conveyancers and representatives through the

Business tax enquiries line.
📞 The phone number has not changed — but the prompts have.

If you have previously saved, memorised or bookmarked the old prompt sequence, it will no longer work.

When calling the ATO, make sure you listen carefully and follow the updated prompts to ensure you are directed to the correct support area.

Calling the ATO for GST at Settlement:
📱 13 28 66
🕗 8:00 am – 6:00 pm, Monday to Friday

When prompted:
➡️ Select the options relating to Business tax
➡️ Select GST
➡️ Follow the prompts for property or land settlements

💡 Tip: If possible, have your client's ABN, reference numbers and property details ready before calling.

Please note that ATO phone prompts may change over time, so always listen carefully to the options provided during your call.

04/08/2026

Update from our President | Introducing Our New CEO

On behalf of the Board, I am delighted to announce the appointment of Jonathan Smithers as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Institute of Conveyancers NSW (AICNSW).

Jonathan's appointment marks an exciting new chapter for our Institute. With more than 35 years of leadership experience across Australia and internationally, he brings a wealth of knowledge, strategic insight and a proven ability to lead professional and member-based organisations.

I am pleased to welcome Jonathan to AICNSW and look forward to working alongside him, the Board and our members as we continue to strengthen and advance the conveyancing profession. Together, we will build on our strong foundations, elevate the standing of our profession, and further position AICNSW as the trusted voice of conveyancing for government, industry, peak bodies and consumers.

Throughout his distinguished career, Jonathan has held a number of highly respected leadership positions, including:
- Chief Executive Officer, Law Council of Australia
- President, Law Society of England and Wales
- Chief Executive Officer, Arthritis Australia

Senior leadership roles across national peak bodies, professional associations and legal organisations in Australia and internationally

We are excited about the opportunities ahead under Jonathan's leadership and look forward to officially welcoming him when he commences as CEO on 17 August. Members will have the opportunity to meet Jonathan and hear from him in the coming months as he settles into the role.

Kind regards,

Jennie Tonner
President

10/07/2026

Update | Do you have questions about AML/CTF or the Privacy Act? You're not alone.

Over the past few weeks, our Helpline has received a growing number of enquiries about the new AML/CTF framework and Privacy Act obligations.

If you're navigating a compliance challenge or unsure how the new requirements apply to your practice, chances are many others are asking the very same questions.

We're here to help.

Send us your AML/CTF or Privacy Act questions, scenarios, or areas of uncertainty. We'll work to find the answers and, each week, feature a common question in our News Alert to help the wider profession.

If we receive enough enquiries, we'll also compile the most frequently asked questions into a dedicated FAQ webinar.

📧 Email your questions to Margaret at [email protected].

Your question could help hundreds of fellow conveyancers facing the same issue.

15/06/2026

Have you registered for the June Webinar tomorrow?

Join Tony Cahill as he explores key issues raised in ORG’s 2025 Contracts & Covenants discussion paper, including challenges in off-the-plan property sales and the growing issue of obsolete title covenants.

Topics include:
• Off-the-plan regulatory gaps and purchaser protections
• Sunset dates and extension rights
• Purchaser notifications during subdivision
• Managing and removing outdated covenants
• The impact of s3.16 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979
A practical discussion on current challenges and potential reforms affecting property transactions and land titles.

Register now!

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12/06/2026

Transfer Duty Calculators: What You Need to Know

Recent media reports have highlighted claims by REINSW that transfer duty may have been overcharged due to the way indexation thresholds have been calculated since 2021.

At this stage, these are allegations based on independent legal and tax advice obtained by REINSW. NSW Treasury has publicly stated that its calculations and interpretation of the legislation are correct.

What does this mean for buyers and conveyancers?
✅ Revenue NSW transfer duty calculators remain the official basis for assessment.
✅ Any transfer duty assessed by Revenue NSW should continue to be paid to avoid penalty interest or delays to settlement.
✅ There is currently no action required from buyers or conveyancers.

If the issue is ultimately resolved in favour of REINSW, or a formal review results in adjustments, affected buyers would be able to apply directly to Revenue NSW for a reassessment and refund.

We will continue to monitor developments and provide updates as more information becomes available.

09/04/2026

🔔 2026 Membership Renewal

A quick reminder that all memberships expired on 31 March 2026. Renewal emails have been sent—check your inbox for details and login info.

Renewing is simple and must be completed via the Membership Portal on the AICNSW website. Link below.

https://register.aicnsw.com.au/ccms.r?pageid=1&TenID=AICNSW

Don’t miss out on your member benefits, including the helpline, weekly News Alert, and important updates—make sure you renew on time!

Australian Institute of Conveyancers NSW Division Membership Portal

25/11/2025

UPDATE | Sydney Water outage will impact your property settlements

Sydney Water would like to advise that its conveyancer and solicitor services for property settlements will be down on Monday 8 and Tuesday 9 December for system maintenance. All services will be back to normal at 8am on Wednesday 10 December.

Services that will be affected:
- Billing and accounts systems won’t be available. You won’t be able to purchase certificates, documents or diagrams from your Property Link broker during the outage.
- Conveyancing certificate updates will be frozen.
- Sydney Water’s customer enquiry line 13 20 92 will not be available.

How you can prepare?
Sydney Water encourages all conveyancers and solicitors to complete as many tasks as possible before the outage.

Please also avoid calling the 1300 361 369 phone service during the outage, as delays are expected and only limited information will be available, such as verbal account balances only that are backdated to Friday 5 December.

22/10/2025

Update | October is Small Business month!

NSW Small Business Month is a month-long program for small businesses to access a range of workshops, networking events, and expert advice. Put together by the NSW Small Business Commission together with other government organisations, chambers of commerce, industry associations and private enterprise organisations this is your opportunity to access information to help your business grow and thrive.

Explore the updated calendar of events below:

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10/10/2025

Update | Settlement Time Changes

With daylight savings coming into effect last weekend, PEXA has announced changes to PEXA settlement slots effective until Sunday 5 April 2026.
During the daylight savings period NSW workspaces will have two additional settlement slots at 6:00 pm and 6:30 pm AEDT.

Important: The Workspace must be set for either of these times before 4:00 pm AEDT.

Read more below:

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