Pay invoices or be penalised, warns ASIC
With the due date for invoices fast approaching, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has warned organisations and individuals that hold a license and operate in an industry sector covered by the Government’s laws for industry funding of ASIC’s costs to pay their invoices or time or risk penalties.
The corporate regulator issued invoices to recover its financial year 2017-18 regulatory costs for the first time on 31 January this year, and ASIC Commissioner Cathie Armour has urged those affected to pay up.
“Ensuring a fair, strong and efficient financial system for all Australians is our goal and is at the heart of all our regulatory activities,” said Armour.
“We worked closely with industry to implement the new model to recover ASIC’s cost from industry. The due date for payment of invoices is a significant milestone in this inaugural year. We want people and firms to avoid penalties for late payment and encourage them to pay their invoice by 15 March 2019.”
The penalties are charged for each month after the payment deadline, and are calculated as 20 per cent per annum of the overdue levy amount.
Should the outstanding balance remain unpaid, ASIC could deregister the entity.
Recommended for you
The Governance Institute has said ASIC’s governance arrangements are no longer “fit for purpose” in a time when financial markets are quickly innovating and cyber crime becomes a threat.
Compliance professionals working in financial services are facing burnout risk as higher workloads, coupled with the ever-changing regulation, place notable strain on staff.
The Senate economics legislation committee has recommended Schedule 1 of the Delivering Better Financial Outcomes legislation be passed as it is a “faithful implementation” of the recommendations.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has handed down his third budget, outlining the government’s macroeconomic forecasts and changes to superannuation.