Victims’ advocate says Crole banning ‘best thing ASIC has done’
A leading advocate for investors in the collapsed Shield and First Guardian master funds has welcomed the banning of the former chief executive of the licensee at the centre of investor losses. Melinda Kee has also urged senators to support proposed changes to the Compensation Scheme of Last Resort to make payment of compensation to victims faster and less stressful.
Why advisers are ditching big firms for more personalised client service
Shaw and Partners has grown from 100 advisers and $4 billion under management in 2015 to more than 200 advisers and more than $50 billion today. Head of private wealth Chris Smith explains why advisers are leaving bigger firms and what’s driving demand for broader wealth advice.
Industry tensions over who will lead on cyber governance standards
The Financial Services Council has criticised the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia for engaging in anti-competitive behaviour for applying to the country’s consumer watchdog for an exemption to negotiate with third-party vendors on behalf of all super funds. The government has deferred to the associations to work together on creating a standard, but the dispute raises questions over whether the industry can self-regulate.
Advisers’ key role in addressing $4.8tr super system’s confidence problem
The Government has made welcome progress on advice reform, but the job is far from finished. AMP chief executive officer Blair Vernon writes that advice is central to confidence in the system, but int’s only one of five issues that must be addressed.
Sequoia sells down Centrepoint stake as cash-raising plan takes shape
After telling shareholders of material uncertainty over its ability to continue as a going concern and flagging plans to raise cash to shore up its financial position, Sequoia Financial Group appears to have kicked off that process with the sale of more than 15 million shares in rival Centrepoint Alliance.
Parliament should review travel restraint laws in major financial misconduct cases
As the travel restraint of First Guardian CIO Simon Selimaj has been lifted, Shield and First Guardian investor advocate Melinda Kee writes that confidence in the system is lost long before a court delivers its verdict.
Three down, one to watch: Navigating the 2026 tax reforms
The 50 per cent capital gains tax discount is gone, negative gearing has been quarantined, and SMSF property borrowing is all but finished but the measure that should be occupying advisers most hasn’t even made it into a bill, writes Arthur Marusevich.
Industry
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Adviser numbers to settle at 14.8k by 2030: Wealth Data
Adviser researcher Padua Wealth Data expects the number of advisers in Australia to reach 14,796 by 2030. Current adviser numbers have stabilised around the 15,000 mark after the fallout from the Hayne royal commission and the introduction of professional standards saw five-figure departures from the industry.
When AI decides who’s credible, invisibility becomes the bigger risk
Prospective clients are asking AI for financial advice expertise long before they contact an adviser, writes Assured Support’s Sean Graham. Licensees that restrict what advisers publish may be managing one risk while creating another: being absent when trust is formed.
Life insurance’s “paradigm shift” is accelerating
The known chronic illnesses that have historically prevented people from working have been replaced by subjective conditions like mental illness, creating a “paradigm shift” that is impacting the performance, sustainability and design of life insurance, particularly total and permanent disability cover.
Researcher Forum
Advice Policy Summit
This event is open to CEOs and senior leaders of financial planning licensees, dealer groups and boutique advice firms, along with C-suite executives in superannuation funds with oversight of advice, education and guidance.
FAAA opens nominations for three new directors
The Financial Advice Association Australia has called for nominations for the election of three new directors, with two to fill existing positions and one to fill a new position. The new appointees will start along with chair-elect Michelle Veitch in November.
Shadforth is buying businesses, not books
Not even a year on from its acquisition of Melbourne-based financial advice firm PMD Financial Advisers, Shadforth is still looking for M&A opportunities but strictly to add like-minded advisers, rather than just client books. CEO Terry Dillon tells Professional Planner what those ideal businesses looks like.
How pro-bono work helped adviser Nicola Beswick create new firm
Lawyer turned financial adviser Nicola Beswick recently launched her own financial firm White Rabbit Advisory. Through her experience on the board of the Pro Bono Financial Advice Network, she learned valuable lessons which helped her navigate the challenges of setting up her own business.
Regulation