Society of Auctioneers and Appraisers

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY (15:46): I rise today to speak about the Society of Auctioneers and Appraisers. The Society of Auctioneers and Appraisers is the professional body representing the specialist interests of auctioneers and appraisers in South Australia.

The society has a diverse membership with varying specialties in appraising, selling, auctioning and valuing real estate, plant and machinery, antiques, fine art, livestock and many other varied categories. The society provides superior education and training, useful resources and plenty of networking opportunities to support their members and to further enhance their professional standards.

The society has a membership of over 320 professionals who represent principals and key decision-makers of real estate, general and livestock companies in both metropolitan and country areas, including major franchise groups as well as independents. The membership has a promotional reach to over 3,000 industry personnel and combined sales are estimated at over $3 billion annually.

The society was the first in South Australia to introduce computerised documentation of real estate forms for agents and the first in Australia to release an app, allowing the public to search for any upcoming auctions by suburb, address, date, salesperson or auctioneer.

For a number of years, I have had the pleasure of attending the society's Golden Gavel competition, which is the longest running auctioneering competition in the Southern Hemisphere. The Golden Gavel competition was established by past president Mr Anthony Toop in 1993. The competition provides a fantastic opportunity for auctioneers to showcase their skill set and talent. Winners of the Golden Gavel competition have gone on to forge very successful careers.

The rising star category of the competition also provides a great platform for young and upcoming auctioneers to be recognised by the industry. This category is open to auctioneers who have conducted fewer than 10 auctions in the field and have not won the award previously. This year, the rising stars auctioned a 1920s character two-bedroom home at Fullarton from a catalogue at the Klemich warehouse in Kent Town, utilising Bidtracker and Zoom. The auctioneers had to highlight the benefits of living in the area and conduct the live auction to online bidders and judges.

Before the Golden Gavel competition is held, the society offers a nationally accredited two-day real estate auction academy training workshop for aspiring auctioneers and for practising auctioneers who want to enhance their current skills. During the workshop, participants learn how to capture their audience's attention, build trust, project their voices, control their environment and many other important skills to enable them to excel in their career.

Finally, I would like to acknowledge my admiration for our state's outstanding female auctioneers. There is no question that auctioneering is still a male-dominated industry; however, it gives me hope that our state has inspiring female auctioneers who are fantastic role models for young women. The society's current membership is approximately 20 per cent female, and I hope that number continues to rise in the future.

I would like to thank the current women working as auctioneers for their role in paving the path for future generations and for inspiring female talent to enter the industry. I encourage any woman interested in joining the industry to contact the Society of Auctioneers and Appraisers.