Lack of advice expertise on super boards holding back retirement delivery
Super funds are lacking advice expertise on their boards and it’s one of the major factors that will keep them from fulfilling decumulation obligations, according to early findings from a research project from The Conexus Institute.
March 19, 2026
FAAA looks overseas to address chronic shortage of advisers
A Financial Advice Association Australia submission to Jobs and Skills Australia recommending “financial adviser” and “paraplanner” be added to the 2026 Occupation Shortage List would open up pathways to recruiting from overseas to fill a significant and growing shortfall in the number of advisers needed to meet the demand for advice from an aging population.
March 19, 2026
Sequoia looks to offload InterPrac after platform pushback
Sequoia Financial Group is looking at potential options including selling InterPrac Financial Planning, as it believes the platform backlists it faces have made running the licensee unviable. However, the ASX-listed owner of the under-fire licensee was unable to make clear the implications this could have for its future liabilities, including client remediation.
March 18, 2026
Advisers waste $66k a year doing their own admin
An adviser who spends just six hours a week on admin could be wasting $66,000 a year by not delegating these tasks to support staff, according to a report by Vital Business Partners. Furthermore, that time saved could be used to serve 35 to 40 more ongoing clients.
March 18, 2026
Govt commences next steps on long-awaited education reforms
Future financial advisers will only need to complete four core financial advice subjects and four “financial concept” subjects as part of a Bachelor’s degree or higher qualifications to fulfil the education standard, as the government commences the long-awaited consultation on the reform.
March 17, 2026
Geoff Lloyd to lead Perpetual wealth spin-off acquired by Bain
Former Perpetual CEO Geoff Lloyd will become executive chair of the storied fund manager's wealth arm after its $550 million acquisition by Bain Capital. Lloyd, who also chairs Professional Planner publisher Conexus Financial, says Bain will be a custodian and steward of the business, with work underway to make it financially viable as a standalone firm.
March 16, 2026
Conaghan dropped as shadow minister; replacement named
Pat Conaghan has been dumped as shadow Minister for Financial Services and will be replaced by party colleague Kevin Hogan in a shake-up of National Party representation in opposition leader Angus Taylor’s shadow ministry.
March 16, 2026
Narrow jaws essential in private credit
The private credit sector is enormous, with a large and growing market of borrowers to service and plenty of investor capital to deploy. But growth demands greater transparency and regulation to strengthen investor protections and ensure the sector’s long-term sustainability.
March 16, 2026
Govt was warned MIS reform alone would not have stopped Shield, First Guardian
Freedom of Information documents reveal that Treasury told the government the 2023 managed investment scheme review would not have stopped the Shield and First Guardian collapse, and that a broader policy response was needed.
March 13, 2026
AustralianSuper’s call for leverage is bold but unnecessary
AustralianSuper's chief liquidity officer Chandu Bhindi has publicly proposed the idea of allowing some super funds to directly use leverage, enabling them to better manage liquidity requirements in crisis situations rather than being forced to sell assets at stressed prices. The Conexus Institute writes that while the idea has some merits, overall it is not necessary and could increase system risk.
March 13, 2026
Policymakers will never be convinced about deregulating advice if conflicts remain
While there is merit in advice reform, the advice profession and financial services industry can’t expect policymakers to work on the assumption that the whole industry will do the right thing and a stringent regulatory floor will always need to be in place, the Professional Planner Advice Policy Summit heard.
March 12, 2026
