A Serious Penalty, or, A Slap on the Wrist?

The story of Professional Strata Management Group [PSMG Pty Ltd] and Whitney Wang has kept NSW strata citizens interested since July 2024 when NSW Fair Trading cancelled their strata management licences and disqualified both of them from holding licences for 10 years.

That was based on a range of allegations about their conduct of strata building affairs, and some dramatic footage of a ‘fiery’ strata meeting they ran, which was aired and reported on by ABC News. Plus, it was followed by many cheers from strata associations, consumer groups, and citizens.

Of course, Professional Strata Management Group and Whitney Wang appealed the action, a stay [or stop] on the licence cancellations was issued in August 2024 and an appeal hearing took place in February 2025.

NCAT published its final decision regarding the appeal last week, overturning the licence cancellations and disqualifications, and making the following orders instead.

• Reprimanding Professional Strata Management Group.

• Preserving Professional Strata Management Group’s strata manager licence.

• Fining Professional Strata Management Group $15,000.

• Reprimanding Whitney Wang.

• Cancelling Whitney Wang’s strata manager licence for 28 days.

• Disqualifying Whitney Wang from involvement in running a strata management business for 1 year.

Those things are a lot less than what NSW Fair Trading and many other strata citizens wanted.

So, is that a serious penalty, a slap on the wrist, or something in between?

And, what conclusions do you draw from this outcome about the incentives [and disincentives] on strata managers to comply with licensing laws, codes of conduct and professional standards?

BTW, did you also notice who [successfully] represented Professional Strata Management Group and Whitney Wang in the appeal?

You can read the NCAT decision here.