Super war reignited as SMC spars with FSC over member switching
The Super Members Council has warned that “consumers should be wary” about any claims that they would be better off if they switched their super fund, pushing back on arguments made by the Financial Services Council in a report last month.
July 22, 2026
Mulino uncommitted to DBFO future as Shield, First Guardian policy response looms
Minister for Financial Services Daniel Mulino has remained uncommitted to the rest of the Delivering Better Financial Outcomes reforms as the government’s policy response to Shield and First Guardian will be announced next month.
July 21, 2026
Moving beyond the myths of the great wealth transfer
The families that navigate generational transition most successfully are not those with the best wills or most sophisticated portfolios, but those that clarify values, build governance and embed a culture of stewardship long before it is needed. JBWere's Kim Venter busts four myths that oversimplify the great wealth transfer and obscure the deeper work families must do to sustain wealth across generations.
July 21, 2026
Advice is the number one weapon against retirees’ FORO
The problem of retirees not drawing down enough of their retirement savings for fear of running out appeared front-and-centre at a recent superannuation industry roundtable. But it’s not a new issue for advisers, and the CoreData/Conexus Financial Best Possible Retirement study shows just why access to advice is “the single clearest lever for improving retirement readiness”.
July 20, 2026
Why responsible AI belongs inside every compliance framework
Years of advice file reviews show most adverse findings are process gaps, not misconduct, writes 3Lines director Julia Vojkovic. AI is best placed to catch them, provided it strengthens professional judgement rather than replaces it.
July 20, 2026
YFYS performance test has done its dash
The Coalition’s Your Future Your Super reforms, especially the contentious performance test, deserve credit for weeding out poor-performing funds and helping instil a more cost-conscious culture in super. But the test has largely accomplished its mission and its continuation undermines the system’s global competitiveness.
July 17, 2026
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.
July 17, 2026
Pre-retirees’ use of AI not a vote of no-confidence in advice
Take-up of AI tools is inevitably spilling into the advice space, but new research suggests this does not signal a decline in the role and the importance of advisers. The CoreData/Conexus Financial Best Possible Retirement study shows that people with an adviser use AI to do their own exploration, test their own ideas, and then seek validation from a human.
July 16, 2026
Financial Accountability Regime yet to bare its teeth in superannuation
The alleged conduct that led to the Shield and First Guardian debacle is unlikely to lead to any action under the Financial Accountability Regime. But a new ASIC report into platform trustees may deliver the individual consequences FAR was intended to mete out.
July 16, 2026
Putting values at the heart of advice
When it comes to strategic advice, incorporating a client’s values is just as important as their circumstances, needs and goals, according to Russell Investments. Values can also be a core consideration when selecting investments to ensure alignment with portfolios and outcomes.
July 16, 2026
Four candidates for YFYS expansion – and why we’re not convinced
None of the potential expansion areas for the Your Future Your Super performance test – including managed accounts or retirement income products – are warranted writes The Conexus Institute’s David Bell and Geoff Warren. Nor would any expansion of the test have caught schemes like Shield and First Guardian.
July 15, 2026
Sharpe era over with deputy elected to be next FAAA chair
Financial Advice Association Australia deputy chair Michelle Veitch will succeed David Sharpe as chair, closing a tenure that included the association’s merger, as well as navigating key regulatory changes including advice reform and the Compensation Scheme of Last Resort.
July 15, 2026
