policy

Financial planning

FAAA consults on improving efficiencies without legislation

The Financial Advice Association Australia has detailed strategies that can improve advice efficiencies without the need for legislation....

Financial planning

FAAA surveys members to renew policy platform

Following its completed merger of the former FPA and AFA in April, the FAAA is now in the “critical process” of renewing its policy platform through a member survey....

Financial planning

Major planning groups in policy discussions

The major financial planning representative groups have met informally to discuss the direction of policy amid the Australia Securities and Investments Commission’s conti...

Policy & Regulation

APRA urged to be more forceful

A critical Government-commissioned review of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority appears likely to see it adopting a more overtly forceful approach based on st...

Policy & Regulation

TPB warns on unregistered tax agents

The Tax Practitioner’s Board has issued a warning that people who use unregistered tax agents do not receive safe harbour protections when things go wrong....

Financial planning

Planner exam – more Canberra lobbying required

Financial planners face the need to convince the Senate cross-bench of the virtue of allowing more time for them to sit the Financial Adviser Standards and Ethics Authori...

Superannuation

Firms reminded on exit fees ahead of PYSP

ASIC is reminding product issuers that as part of their implementation of Protecting Your Super Package, they need to take care that, from 1 July 2019, Product Disclosure...

Life/Risk

Loss of insurance for low-balance accounts could cause legal headaches

Super funds could face legal problems once group insurance for inactive accounts is switched off on 1 July, as members who were unaware they were losing their cover may s...

Features

Hume inherits a portfolio of unfinished business

Mike Taylor writes that the new assistant minister for Superannuation, Financial Services and Financial Technology will find some urgent matters sitting in her portfolio ...

Policy & Regulation

Ratings agency points to economic challenges

International ratings agency, Fitch Ratings has pointed to some significant economic challenges confronting the re-elected Coalition Government....

Editorial

Franking credits proof that no policy is set in stone

Strategies based on particular government policy positions should be regarded as having reliable shelf-life no longer than that of the Government which introduced them....

Policy & Regulation

Last report by Parliamentary Committee backs continuing vertical integration

Even though the Federal Election had already been called, the Senate Economics Legislation Committee has vetoed a One Nation bill which would have ended financial service...

Policy & Regulation

ASIC spotlights industry fund vertical integration

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has broken new ground by imposing a penalty on HostPlus based on the commercial links and consequent service agreemen...

Policy & Regulation

IPA claims dodgy data underpins ALP’s tax advice changes

The Institute of Public Accountants has continued its defence of tax advice fees, arguing the move is unjustified and that the underlying data has been inappropriately us...

Policy & Regulation

Regulators band together to urge LIBOR transition

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has written to the chief executives of several major financial institutions, encouraging them to transition away from...