If you build a killer robot, don’t forget the “off” switch

The government recently dismantled a final argument in defence of grandfathered conflicted remuneration when it released regulations providing that from January 1, 2021, conflicted payments can no longer be made …

Four ways financial services providers can support better choices by customers

Freedom of choiceIs what you gotFreedom from choiceIs what you want In ancient Rome there was a poemAbout a dog who found two bonesHe picked at one he licked the otherHe …

Best in Show: Are you on the list?

Over the past few months, both the Superannuation Productivity Commission and the Financial Services Royal Commission have recommended changes to the default super system. If implemented, the changes will weaken …

How well does your licensee support you through the challenges of being an adviser?

There’s one thing we can be sure of as the financial advice industry professionalises and realigns to deliver services in the best interests of consumers: the cost to financial advisers …

The new way of working could be killing our retirement outcomes

It’s the new work order: abandon the shackles of the 9 to 5 in favour of working multiple jobs, for multiple employers. Drive for Uber, take some paid board positions, …

A value chain in transition

The Australian wealth management value chain has evolved over the past six or seven years – from an opaque, conflict-riddled structure to one where the alignment of payments and value …

Can the Royal Commission possibly meet “community expectations”?

The final report of the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry will have to be some kind of masterpiece to meet all of the …

Hayne and APRA: the ‘hidden’ influences driving home loan market share

Between March and November 2018, the home loan market share of the Big Four banks declined, and mid-tier banks, foreign banks and credit unions, building societies and small banks enjoyed …

Why the royal commission on aged care is another inquiry we have to have

The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety kicks off on Friday with the first preliminary public hearing in Adelaide. At the hearing, the commissioners will set out their …

Does the Productivity Commission want to cut advisers out of the superannuation picture?

Concerns over conflicts of interest in financial advice have prompted the Productivity Commission to recommend a range of measures to help more superannuation fund members make better decisions about super …

Rethinking the risks and returns of misconduct

Like many Australians, I did a fair bit of travelling around the country over Christmas and New Year, which involved driving thousands of kilometres across NSW, Queensland and Tasmania. The …

Financial advisers going back to school – some more than others

Last week the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) urged all existing financial advisers to make sure they are present and correct on the ASIC financial advisers register by December …

Can the Royal Commission create a new industry hero?

From myth and the first recorded stories in ancient history to present-day movie blockbusters, humans appear to be obsessed with the idea of the hero. The “hero’s journey” narrative pops …

Three things aged-care providers can do before the Royal Commission wringer

If the Royal Commission into Financial Services is anything to go by, Australian aged care providers are about to be put through the wringer. The terms of reference of the Royal Commission …

The Royal Commission: the closer you get, the worse it looks

When Commissioner Kenneth Hayne submitted the interim report of the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services industry to the Governor-General and the Parliament in September, …