Who are we?

FCAWA supports all financial counsellors and financial capability workers in WA ensuring best practice by providing access to professional development, information, resources, and relevant casework support.

We are experts in financial hardship, financial literacy, and financial counselling.

We focus on identifying emerging issues, recording current trends and responding to social and systemic issues in the social services sector.

What do we do?

FCAWA supports all financial counsellors and financial capability workers in WA ensuring best practice by providing access to professional development, information, resources, and relevant casework support.

We also:

liaise on behalf of financial counsellors and their clients with state and federal governments, organisations, businesses and those whose policies affect consumers
act on policy advice and write submissions for better outcomes for vulnerable consumers
advocate for changes to legislation to better support vulnerable consumers
provide training to a range of organisations in metropolitan and regional WA.

What services do we offer?

We offer consultation and workshops to a whole range of organisations in the private, public and not for profit sectors.

Hardship policy consultation.

Family & domestic violence policy consultation.

Financial hardship training.

A financial hardship impacted by family violence workshop.

Customised consultation, workshops and webinars.

Our Vision

Our Purpose

Our Values

INTEGRITY

We are honest and consistent in our work, developing
trusting relationships with strong ethical principles.

LEADERSHIP

We continuously strive for excellence in our work.
Leading the sector with courage and humility, advocating for social justice where everyone’s human rights are respected and protected.

SUPPORT

We respect the dignity and value of each of our members. Encouraging collaboration and connection, supporting our members, the sector, and each other

INNOVATION

We strive to meet the needs of our members in an ever-changing world, turning creative ideas into effective solutions, and passionate about learning new things.

Our History

The Financial Counsellors’ Association of WA (FCAWA) was incorporated in 1985.

As the peak body to support financial counsellors and their clients through education, information, resources, and relevant legal support, FCAWA’s primary objectives are to establish, monitor and improve standards for financial counsellors in Western Australia. This is where we shine!

All financial counsellors are required to be members of the state association in order to practise under the National Credit Code (2009) and Corporation’s Act (2001).

Our Board

Balbeer Sidhu

Chairperson

Balbeer is a Senior Manager in Uniting WA, overseeing their Financial Wellbeing programs, which includes financial counselling, emergency relief, financial literacy workshops and Energy Ahead and Escaping Violence Payment (EVP) program. Prior to overseeing the programs, Balbeer was a financial counsellor and emergency relief officer in Uniting WA’s Fremantle, Perth and Merriwa offices. Balbeer moved to Australia from Malaysia in 2009 after working as a Relationship Manager for a private bank for 18 years. Balbeer joined the FCAWA Board in 2018 as Treasurer and has been the Chairperson for almost 2 years.

Tina Bennett

Vice Chairperson

Tina is the senior financial counsellor at The Spiers Centre in Heathridge. She has worked at The Spiers Centre since 2008, the past 13 years as a financial counsellor. Previous experience includes community service administration, banking roles and volunteering as a member of the SES Mounted Section. Tina joined the board of FCAWA in 2018.

Dean Bavich

Secretary

Dean has agribusiness, commerce and financial counselling qualifications with a strong working background within the rural bank finance and small business sector. He is currently a Small Business and Rural Financial Counsellor with Rural West. Dean has a strong sense for rural communities and enjoys being actively involved in the community. He is a past elected member of the Shire of Manjimup as Deputy Shire President and has held executive positions with Merredin Community Resource Centre and Merredin Community Men’s Shed. Dean is also a past president and current active member of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the south-west region. In his working role with Rural West, he is highly passionate about effecting change and making a difference to the lives of farmers and small business owners. Dean joined the Board in 2022 and was appointed secretary in 2023.

Mandy Dehnel

Treasurer

Mandy joined the board of FCAWA as Treasurer in 2021.

Suzanne Long

Board Member

Suzanne is the Manager of Financial Counselling at St Vincent de Paul Society WA. She leads a team of Financial Counsellors, including the National Debt Helpline WA, the Rent Relief Program and face-to-face services across the Perth metro, Rockingham, Mandurah and Bunbury areas.

Suzanne has been working as a financial counsellor for the last 14 years and is well known for her caring approach to supporting clients experiencing financial hardship. Suzanne started her career in Australia in 2008 working for the Salvation Army across their community programs. Suzanne’s work is her passion, using her years of experience as a Financial Counsellor to make a difference to her clients, her team and the development of the sector. Suzanne joined the board of FCAWA in 2019.

Tevita Naroba

Board Member

Tevy is an Accredited Financial Counsellor who has 35 years of service-related experience across the sectors of banking, finance, insurance, small business, telecommunications, financial counselling, community services and mining. Tevy has worked for 8 years with Aboriginal communities across the East Kimberley, and more closely in the last two years with the Traditional Owner groups of the Argyle Diamond Mine, Rio Tinto in his role as Advisor – Communities and Social Performance. Tevy is passionate about advocating for the strong financial wellbeing of Indigenous people living remotely and regionally; he believes that strong financial wellbeing is key to mob’s self-determination and economic empowerment. In 2023 he completed a Master of Philosophy on Indigenous Research and Development at Curtin University, in which he explored how the financial wellbeing of East Kimberley Indigenous people can be enhanced. He is a Board member with Kimberley Small Business Support (KSBS), Waringarri Aboriginal Radio station 6WR (Kununurra) and Pacific Island Council Western Australia (PICWA). Tevy joined the board of FCAWA in 2023.

Roberta Grealish

Independent Board Member

Roberta is the Principal Solicitor at Consumer Credit Legal Service (WA) Inc. (CCLSWA), a specialist community legal centre based in Perth. She studied at the University of Sydney, the National University of Ireland, Galway, and the University of Western Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Law degree. She has also completed professional practice courses at the Law Society of Ireland and the College of Law. Roberta worked in private practice in Ireland, specialising in property and banking before relocating to Perth. Following admission to practice in WA, she worked for a commercial law firm before jumping at the opportunity to join CCLSWA and “sit on the other side of the table” to voice the risks of unaffordable lending from the consumer perspective. Roberta takes a lead role in CCLS’ law reform submissions and stakeholder engagements in the belief that it is the role of consumer advocates to speak up for those who do not have the knowledge, resources, or capacity to advocate for themselves. Roberta joined the board of FCAWA in 2021.

Amy Lee

Independent Board Member

Amy joined the board of FCAWA in 2022.

Gary Newcombe

Independent Board Member

Gary retired in December 2022 from the State Public Service after 41 years in the Commonwealth and State Public Services and the WA Parliament. At the time of his retirement, Gary was the WA Commissioner for Consumer Protection. Gary was a director at Consumer Protection for 21 years, with responsibility for consumer protection policy and community education, amongst other things. Gary’s experience with credit goes back to the days of the Uniform Consumer Credit Code. Gary’s other experience includes working as: a senior lawyer within the Commonwealth and State Governments; a ministerial adviser; and a corporate investigator. Gary joined the board of FCAWA in 2024.