Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required for a new entrant to work ethically and effectively in a stock and station agency. It includes awareness of the core functions of stock and station agencies, ethical and conduct standards, industry employment requirements, and the legislative and regulatory framework within which the industry operates.

The unit may form part of the licensing requirements for persons engaged in stock and station activities in those States and Territories where these are regulated activities.

Application of the unit 

This unit of competency supports the work of licensed stock and station agents and stock and station representatives or certificate holders. It addresses the requirements for licensed stock and station agents and stock and station representatives or certificate holders to identify and explain ethical and conduct standards, core functions, legislative and regulatory framework and employment requirements of the industry.

Prerequisite units 

Nil

Employability skills 

The required outcomes described in this unit of competency contain applicable facets of employability skills. The Employability Skills Summary of the qualification in which this unit of competency is packaged, will assist in identifying employability skills requirements.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the required performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised  text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge and/or the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1 Develop knowledge of agency operations .

1.1 Key features of the agency principal relationship are identified according to legislative requirements  and agency practice.

1.2 Roles and responsibilities of key personnel  involved in stock and station agencies are identified and explained in the context of legislative and agency requirements.

1.3 Key operations of stock and station agencies  are identified and explained in the context of legislative and agency requirements.

1.4 Forms of business ownership , organisational structure  and key services  offered by stock and station agencies, including liabilities and responsibilities, are identified and explained.

2 Interpret and comply with legislative and agency requirements .

2.1 Key legislation and regulations relevant to stock and station agency operations, including legislative limitations on agency practice, are identified and explained to ensure compliance with legislative and agency requirements.

2.2 Licensing and eligibility requirements  for licensed stock and station agents, stock and station representatives or certificate holders and other employees, including offences and penalties, are identified and explained to ensure compliance with legislative and agency requirements.

2.3 Key provisions of consumer protection and privacy legislation are identified and explained to ensure compliance with legislative and agency requirements.

2.4 Purpose of trust funds  and key legislative controls on trust funds relevant to authorised employees are identified and explained to ensure compliance with legislative and agency requirements.

2.5 Role and responsibilities of government agencies  and industry bodies are identified and explained in relation to agency practice.

2.6 Personal understanding of legislative requirements is assessed and verified with relevant people.

2.7 Situations in which specialist advice  is required are identified and sources of appropriate advice are determined in line with agency practice.

3 Model ethical practice .

3.1 Ethical and conduct standards , including penalties for breaches, are identified and interpreted to ensure compliance with legislative requirements and industry and agency practice.

3.2 Agent's liability for breach of contract and negligence is identified and explained in the context of legislative and agency requirements.

3.3 Personal understanding of ethics and conduct standards required for good agency practice is verified with relevant people to ensure compliance with legislative requirements and industry and agency practice.

3.4 Situations in which specialist advice is required are identified and sources of appropriate advice are determined in line with legislative and agency requirements.

4 Identify industry employment requirements .

4.1 Industry employment requirements  are identified and interpreted to ensure compliance with legislative requirements and agency practice.

4.2 Employee and employer rights and responsibilities regarding conditions of employment are identified and interpreted to ensure compliance with legislative requirements and agency practice.

4.3 Effective communication strategies  are employed to establish rapport with clients, ascertain client needs, and provide accurate advice and follow-up services in line with agency practice.

4.4 Personal presentation and professional image  are assessed for compliance with industry and agency norms.

4.5 Personal knowledge and skills in providing stock and station agency services are assessed against industry competency standards and other relevant benchmarks to determine continuing training needs and priorities.

4.6 Opportunities for continuing training to maintain currency of competence and develop specialist and advanced skills and knowledge in relation to stock and station agency operations are identified, planned and applied in line with agency practice.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit.

Required skills :

• ability to communicate with and relate to people from a range of social, economic and cultural backgrounds and with varying physical and mental abilities
• analytical skills to interpret documents such as legislation, regulations, employment contracts and licensing requirements
• application of risk management strategies associated with advising clients on matters to do with property sales and management, including livestock sales
• computing skills to access agency databases, send and receive emails and complete standard forms online
• decision making and problem solving skills to analyse situations and make decisions consistent with legislative and ethical requirements
• literacy skills to access and interpret a variety of texts, including legislation, regulations and rules of ethics; prepare general information, papers, formal and informal letters, advertisements, reports and applications; and complete standard forms
• negotiation skills to assist clients on property sales and management, including matters to do with livestock
• numeracy skills to calculate and interpret data such as commissions and entitlements
• planning, organising and scheduling skills to undertake work-related tasks such as inspecting properties and livestock
• research skills to identify and source documents and information related to stock and station operations.

Required knowledge and understanding :

• agency principal relationship
• continued training needs for stock and station agents and stock and station representatives or certificate holders
• contract law in the stock and station agency industry, including agents' liability for breach of contract and negligence
• employee and employer rights and responsibilities
• ethical and conduct standards
• features of good stock and station agency practice
• forms of business ownership, organisational structure and services offered by stock and station agencies
• key operations of stock and station agencies
• key principles of consumer protection and privacy legislation
• legislative limitations on stock and station agency practice
• licensing requirements for stock and station agents
• nature of trust funds and legislative controls on trust funds
• offences and penalties under the legislative framework
• relevant federal and state or territory legislation and local government regulations related to:

• animal health
• anti-discrimination
• aquaculture
• consumer protection
• crown land
• environmental issues
• equal employment opportunity (EEO)
• financial probity
• franchises and business structure
• industrial relations
• livestock
• native title
• OHS
• privacy
• rural property sales, leasing and management
• taxation
• water rights

• risk management
• roles and functions of industry bodies
• roles and functions of government regulatory agencies
• sources of specialist advice relating to stock and station operations.

Overview of assessment 

This unit of competency could be assessed through case studies and targeted written (including alternative formats where necessary) or verbal questioning to assess the candidate's knowledge. This would include collecting evidence of the candidate's knowledge and application of ethical standards and relevant federal and state or territory legislation and regulations. This assessment may be carried out in a simulated or workplace environment.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to provide evidence of:

• knowledge of the ethical and conduct standards relevant to licensed stock and station agents, stock and station representatives or certificate holders, and support staff
• knowledge of the key operations of stock and station agencies
• knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of agency personnel
• knowledge of legislation and the regulatory framework relevant to stock and station agencies, including the roles and functions of government regulatory agencies and industry bodies
• knowledge of the key principles of consumer protection and privacy legislation
• knowledge of the agency principal relationship
• knowledge of employment requirements for stock and station agents, including the rights and responsibilities of employers and employees
• knowledge of the licensing and eligibility requirements for stock and station agents and other employees, including offences and penalties.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Resource implications for assessment include:

• access to suitable simulated or real opportunities and resources to demonstrate competence
• assessment instruments that may include personal planner and assessment record book
• access to a registered provider of assessment services.

Where applicable, physical resources should include equipment modified for people with disabilities.

Access must be provided to appropriate learning and/or assessment support when required.

Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate, and appropriate to the language and literacy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed.

Validity and sufficiency of evidence require that:

• competency will need to be demonstrated over a period of time reflecting the scope of the role and the practical requirements of the workplace
• where the assessment is part of a structured learning experience the evidence collected must relate to a number of performances assessed at different points in time and separated by further learning and practice with a decision of competence only taken at the point when the assessor has complete confidence in the person's competence
• all assessment that is part of a structured learning experience must include a combination of direct, indirect and supplementary evidence
• where assessment is for the purpose of recognition (RCC/RPL), the evidence provided will need to be current and show that it represents competency demonstrated over a period of time
• assessment can be through simulated project-based activity and must include evidence relating to each of the elements in this unit.

In all cases where practical assessment is used it will be combined with targeted questioning to assess the underpinning knowledge. Questioning will be undertaken in such a manner as is appropriate to the language and literacy levels of the candidate and any cultural issues that may affect responses to the questions, and will reflect the requirements of the competency and the work being performed.

Legislative requirements  may include:

• relevant federal and state or territory legislation and local government regulations related to:

• animal health
• anti-discrimination
• aquaculture
• consumer protection
• crown land
• environmental issues
• EEO
• financial probity
• franchises and business structure
• industrial relations
• livestock
• native title
• OHS
• privacy
• rural property sales, leasing and management
• taxation
• water rights.

Key personnel  may include:

• licensed stock and station agents
• stock and station representatives or certificate holders
• support staff.

Key operations of stock and station agencies  may include:

• livestock sales
• rural property management
• rural property sales
• sale of rural products.

Forms of business ownership  may include:

• corporation
• partnership
• sole trader.

Organisational structure  of business may include:

• franchise group
• independent agency
• marketing cooperative
• pastoral houses.

Key services  may include:

• livestock sales and services
• rural property management
• rural property sales
• sale of farm supplies and other rural products.

Licensing and eligibility requirements  may include:

• for employment as a stock and station representative or certificate holder
• for licensing as a licensed stock and station agent.

Trust funds :

• refer to all money received or held by a stock and station agent or any member of an agent's staff on behalf of any other person in the course of an agent's business
• include deposits on sales, security deposits, residential bonds paid in cash and bonds in respect of commercial premises, rents and prepaid advertising.

Role and responsibilities of government agencies  may include:

• federal government agencies, such as:

• Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
• Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
• federal Privacy Commission
• other commonwealth statutory agencies associated with rural business, such as Meat and Livestock Australia

• state and territory government agencies related to:

• agriculture and agribusiness
• animal welfare
• consumer protection and fair trading
• employment and workplace relations
• land use and planning
• leases
• livestock
• privacy
• residential and retail tenancies
• small business development
• stock and station agency licensing
• water
• zoning.

Specialist advice  may include:

• agronomists
• architects
• bankers and financiers
• builders
• emergency personnel
• government officials
• industry practitioners and industry bodies
• investment consultants
• livestock specialists
• mentors and coaches
• OHS representatives
• planners
• soil scientists
• stock and station agents
• solicitors
• subcontractors
• supervisors and colleagues
• technical experts
• valuers
• veterinarians
• water consultants.

Ethical and conduct standards  may include:

• conflict of interest
• duty of care
• individual behaviour
• maintaining confidentiality
• non-discriminatory practices
• privacy
• use of organisational property.

Employment requirements  may include:

• employer's responsibilities
• federal and state or territory employment agreements.

Effective communication strategies  may include:

• active listening
• being non-judgemental
• exploring problems
• expressing an individual perspective
• providing sufficient time for questions and responses
• providing summarising and reflective responses in conflict situations
• using active listening
• using appropriate words, behaviour and posture
• using clarifying and summarising questions
• using clear and concise language
• using culturally appropriate communication
• using plain English
• using verbal and non-verbal communication.

Personal presentation and professional image  may refer to:

• client focus
• communication skills
• condition and style of clothing
• condition and cleanliness of company vehicle
• personal grooming
• personal hygiene
• product knowledge

• punctuality
• speech.

Unit sector 

Property development, sales and management

Competency field 

Stock and station agency