FAAA says ATO portal access needed for Div 296 execution
The Financial Advice Association Australia believes changes to super tax concessions have only increased the need for financial advisers to gain access to the ATO portal as the industry asks for a few more tweaks to the bill.
January 23, 2026
Platform ‘oligopoly’ predicted for HUB24 and Netwealth
Advice consultancy Finura Group predicts HUB24 and Netwealth will successfully leverage their large balance sheets to lead an "oligopoly" and dominate the advice process. The annual predictions come as Netwealth reported record inflows despite fallout from the First Guardian collapse.
January 22, 2026
Conaghan drops shadow portfolio in hate-speech bill fallout
Shadow Minister for Financial Services Pat Conaghan has resigned from his portfolio due to divisions within the Coalition over new hate-speech laws. His departure gives Minister for Financial Services Daniel Mulino clear air to pursue advice reform and to respond to the fallout from the collapse of Shield and First Guardian.
January 22, 2026
Industry leader Geoff Lloyd to chair Professional Planner publisher
Former Perpetual and MLC chief executive Geoff Lloyd has been named chair of Conexus Financial, the publisher of media titles including Professional Planner. Lloyd says he is bullish on the future of the financial advice profession although concerned about lingering problems including access to advice.
January 22, 2026
Entireti Foundation seeks $100k raising in 2026 to reach $1m milestone
The Entireti Foundation plans to raise $100,000 to take it to $1 million in total donations since the inception of the charity backed by the country’s largest licensee owner. It will also expand the number of charities it supports.
January 21, 2026
Alexis George steps down from AMP’s ‘tough’ top job
Alexis George will leave AMP after almost five years, with chair Mike Hirst saying that her simplification program has brought momentum back and steered the near 177-year-old company from its lowest point.
January 20, 2026
HUB24 plans to bring super fund trustee in-house
HUB24 is in the process of bringing the trustee of its super fund, HTFS Nominees, in-house. The trustee is currently owned by EQT Holdings – the parent company of Equity Trustees which has been caught up in the collapse of the Shield and First Guardian master funds.
January 20, 2026
First Guardian directors’ travel restraints extended
The travel restraints and asset freezing orders imposed on First Guardian directors David Anderson and Simon Selimaj have been extended to 24 April 2026 as court proceedings against the pair continue.
January 19, 2026
AustralianSuper enters competitive outflow as platform growth accelerates
Australia’s largest super fund now has more money leaving than arriving as a result of member switching, according to APRA data analysed by The Conexus Institute, as the influence of the retail platforms continues to grow. The fund says it will turn to investing in advice to stem the flow.
January 19, 2026
Harding-Davis awarded first-ever lifetime membership of PFAN
A presentation to the Professional Planner Dealer Group Summit in 2013 led to the creation and development of the industry-wide Pro Bono Financial Advice Network (PFAN), and Paul Harding-Davis has been the one consistent factor right from the start. That commitment has now been formally recognised.
January 16, 2026
True ‘cost of freedom’ more than $300k a year – just for one adviser
Obtaining an AFSL is often driven by a desire for autonomy, control and business ownership, but it comes at a cost. New research shows that the true "cost of freedom" includes not only direct expenses, but also the opportunity cost of missed client-facing time, and the often-overlooked "mental load" factor.
January 15, 2026
