Why ethics is an individual issue – and why it starts at the top
Unethical, immoral and even criminal activity by companies starts in the boardroom, and if company is rotten at the top it is far more likely to be rotten all the way through, according to Michael Woodford, former president of Olympus, and author of the book Exposure – From President to Whistleblower at Olympus. Please CLICK
May 09, 2014
Exempt true independent financial planners from ‘copious’ disclosure: Alafaci
Financial planning stalwart Dominic Alafaci has called for genuinely independent financial planners to be exempted from the “copious disclosures regime” that rightly applies to non-independent planners. Alafaci, managing director of Collins House Private Wealth and a life member of the Financial Planning Association of Australia, argues that extensive disclosure requirements only make sense where a
May 09, 2014
The fund manager’s view: mFund set to shake things up
ASX has launched its much-anticipated mFund Settlement Service. Peter Dorrian examines the benefits of the exchange’s latest initiative. Direct investing has become a phenomenon in Australia. Sparked initially by the attractively priced privatisation of state-owned assets through the late 1980s and 1990s and stoked by a rapidly rising domestic share market leading up to 2007,
May 09, 2014
Australians’ intentions to invest overseas reaches record high
Demand by Australian investors for offshore assets shows no sign of slowing down, according to the Certitude Global Investing Intentions Index (CGIII). The CGIII, which collates the views of actively engaged Australian investors and measures their net demand for global investments, jumped again in April to a record high. Following a rise of 15% in
May 08, 2014
SMSFs reach magic million mark
The one millionth Australian has become a member of a self-managed superannuation fund according to Australian Taxation Office (ATO) statistics to be released later this month. The ATO’s self-managed super fund statistical report for the March 2014 quarter will show that the total number of members will have reached the million mark, increasing from the
May 07, 2014
Australia’s ETF industry reaches record assets of $11 billion
According to the latest ASX Funds Monthly Update, Australia’s exchange traded funds (ETF) industry has surged to a record level in April 2014 to $11.13 billion, an almost 50% increase from 12 months ago. Year-to-date, over $1 billion has flowed into ETFs quoted on the ASX, with April attracting record inflows of $331 million, an
May 07, 2014
BetaShares launches geared equity fund on ASX
BetaShares, a leading provider of Australian exchange traded products, today announced the launch of a new investment fund on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). The BetaShares Geared Australian Equity Fund (hedge fund) trades under the ASX Code “GEAR” and provides investors with a simple way to obtain a cost-effective geared exposure to the returns of
May 07, 2014
Aged-care rule changes an advice opportunity that clients will pay for
With July 1 fast approaching, Lara Hansen looks at what is changing in aged care and the main implications this creates for advice. Just when many advisers were starting to understand aged care, the rules are about to change. But isn’t that always the way with legislation. Clients who move into aged care from July 1, 2014
May 07, 2014
Spotlighting the problems of a product-centric view of advice
Three things happened this week that should send a chill down the spines of all self-respecting financial planners. In fact all these things happened on Monday. It was quite the start to the week. First up, the ABC TV program Four Corners exposed further problems within the Commonwealth Bank’s financial planning arm; secondly, BT Financial
May 07, 2014
Retirement income did not fall for most in GFC says ‘astonished’ QSuper
The Global Financial Crisis (GFC) never happened in income terms. That’s the new finding from QSuper that’s causing it to rethink the way it communicates to members. Brad Holzberger (pictured), chief investment officer at QSuper, has described the find as “astonishing”. “If we’d known this, we would’ve communicated it very differently to members at the
May 07, 2014
BGL first to market with SMSF SuperStream solution
BGL Corporate Solutions, Australia’s leading supplier of web and desktop administration software for Self Managed Superannuation Funds (SMSFs), has today released our SuperStream registration solution to clients. “Our team has been working hard with Australia Post to provide an automated registration solution well before the 31 May 2014 deadline” says BGL Managing Director Ron Lesh.
May 06, 2014
Rapid technological change poses changes for financial platforms
Technological innovation is underpinning a revolution in how financial services are delivered in Australia, says Professor Deborah Ralston, Executive Director of the Australian Centre for Financial Studies (ACFS). “Today this technology enables wealth managers to deliver financial advice to three million people annually, to oversee the administration of 20 million superannuation member accounts and to
May 06, 2014
