Sounds like BS to me. Are the insurers driving this change?
The question of liability appears to be in keeping with the indemnity offered to SCA now that they have reached the much-vaunted status of a “profession”. Strata managers have been hiding behind the (correctly categorised) BS that they can’t change the contract because it is SCA copyright for decades. At one point SCA even threatened to sue owners for breach of copyright if they amended their contract in any way.
I had thought the new regime at SCA, following the Netstrata scandal, had stopped using this tactic. Perhaps the news hasn’t filtered through to the front lines.
In the meantime, have a word with the Owners Corporation Network (ocn.org.au) about using their off-the-peg strata management contract. If your strata manager refuses to agree, start looking for one who will.
Meanwhile, I will raise this with SCA to see what they say.