Outsider loves a good war story. Particularly stories about bonds forged in battle while facing a malevolent foe.
And thus, he reflects upon Industry Super Australia chief executive, David Whiteley’s heartfelt farewell to National Seniors chief executive, Michael O’Neill.
It turns out that Whiteley and O’Neill stood shoulder to shoulder in the battle known as the Future of Financial Advice reforms — a campaign Outsider remembers well and which, like WWII, was preceded by a phoney war.
“I came to know Michael through the long running and ultimately highly successful campaign to clean up the financial advice industry and separate advice from sales. He and his organisation contributed very strongly to what ultimately became the ‘Future of Financial Advice’ (FOFA) reforms,” Whiteley said.
“We campaigned side by side on that issue and indeed our views more broadly are usually quite closely aligned.”
As Outsider this ANZAC day lines up, as he always does, to march with the 42nd Foot in Mouth Deserters, he imagines Whiteley and O’Neill will be forming ranks with other members of the 1st Anti-Planner Commission Battery.
Cue the theme from Bridge of the River Kwai.
