government and regulation

Policy & Regulation

The Government's second tranche of its FOFA legislation has come down hard on shelf space fees, soft dollar and offshore conferences....

Policy & Regulation

AFA calls on PM to outline real FOFA agenda

Prime Minister Julia Gillard's strong support for the Industry Super Network on opt-in has prompted calls by the AFA for a declaration of the Government's real agenda....

Financial planning

Gillard lauds ISN's 'opt in'

Prime Minister Julia Gillard pays tribute to Industry Super Network (ISN) for 'opt-in'....

Life/Risk

Australian insurers to spend $5.2 billion on IT

Australian insurers will spend $5.2 billion on IT products and services in 2012, according to technology research company Gartner....

Financial planning

SEQUAL welcomes Bill Shorten's approach

An equity release industry body has praised the Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services Bill Shorten's consultative approach before introducing changes to...

Policy & Regulation

Pension investors will benefit from carbon tax relief

Pension investors aged between 55 and 59 could save hundreds of dollars as part of the Government's proposed carbon tax relief package, according to National Australia Ba...

Financial planning

Financial planners need protection on 'best interests'

ASFA urges better clarity on FOFA legislation to ensure planners are not exposed to vexatious litigation over scaled advice and best interests....

Superannuation

ISN uses own research to disparage retail superannuation funds

At the same time as ramping up its television advertising, the Industry Super Network has relied on its own chief economist to produce research questioning the returns de...

Policy & Regulation

FOFA unlikely to increase uptake of financial advice, says survey

While the majority of self managed superannuation fund (SMSF) professionals believe the proposed Future of Financial Advice (FOFA) changes will improve the standard of fi...

Superannuation

Govt announces new online superannuation form

The Government has announced a new electronic form to connect superannuation members with 5.8 million lost superannuation accounts....

Financial planning

Newly-built houses will be hit with GST - Shorten

The Government has released exposure draft legislation on the application of a goods and services tax (GST) on newly constructed residential premises....

Financial planning

Green is good for an increasing number of financial planners

Responsible investment has attracted increasing interest from financial planners and this interest is set to increase with the commitment of the Government to the introdu...

Superannuation

Stronger Super flawed by absence of financial planner representation

The AFA has warned the Government's Stronger Super package remains flawed because financial planners were not given a voice....

Editorial

Time for financial planners to let go of trailing commissions

Putting aside the increasingly open question of whether the Gillard Labor Government will remain in power long enough to oversee the implementation of its Future of Finan...

Life/Risk

PI insurance needs to change

The way professional indemnity (PI) underwriters assess a financial planner's risk coupled with ambiguous regulatory guidelines means a fresh approach to product regulati...