NEW HEAD OF A ROTTEN INDUSTRY

Kiwi agents choose a new leader.

There's an old Sicilian saying, "The fish rots from the head down."

Today, the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) has a new head. Welcome President Howard Morley.

Morley is in charge of making sure that almost 15,000 salespeople act ethically. The Auckland agent was elected to the position yesterday at the Institute's Annual General Meeting. He takes over from Graeme Woodley who served as President since 2002.

In August, Woodley said that claims of widespread dishonesty, scams and cover-ups in the property industry were "clearly nonsense". The claims had been made by Neil Jenman during his recent speaking tour of New Zealand.

Jenman was accused of "insulting the intelligence" of consumers. According to Woodley, agents are respected in the community. But more than three thousand consumers who attended Jenman's talks believed there was something rotten about the real estate ethics in New Zealand.

So what does the new industry head think?

"The current penalties for those who let down our industry through unprofessional behaviour are somewhat light," says Howard Morley.

Yes, the new president wants to get tougher. "Our reputation continues to be tarnished by a few individuals," he says.

What the new Zealand property industry needs is an ethical leader, a person who can focus on the rights of consumers, a person prepared to fight unethical conduct, someone who deserves the trust of the public – indeed, a person who reflects the high ethical character of the average Kiwi.

That person is not Howard Morley.

Morley was recently found guilty by his peers for breaching their code of ethics. He was fined and paid costs.

Howard Morley's agency was the caretaker of a firm that had gone bust. His role was to manage the failed business until a financial audit had been completed. When another agent bought the business, she discovered that Morley's firm had poached most of the clients.

Today, the new head of New Zealand's real estate industry is someone who has been found guilty of unethical conduct.

However, by industry standards, he's the ideal man for the job.


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