FSR GPS: ‘Superannuation trustee service’ as a financial service

02 December, 2020
This edition of our ‘FSR GPS’ (Guidelines, Principles and Strategies) series covers the proposed laws recently tabled before Parliament to introduce a new ‘financial service’ in the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (Corporations Act) and Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 (Cth) (ASIC Act), namely, the financial service of ‘providing a superannuation trustee service’. In … Read more

ASIC issues information sheet on managing conduct risk during LIBOR transition

01 December, 2020
ASIC has published INFO 252, a long-awaited information sheet which addresses conduct risk issues for both sell-side and buy-side firms arising out of the discontinuation of LIBOR. As the transition from LIBOR rates to alternative reference rates (ARRs) enters its final stage (with the end of 2021 assumed to be the deadline by which transition … Read more

Remediation Round-Up: Superannuation

19 November, 2020
This article is a part of our Remediation Round-Up series which explores potential issues for financial services licensees when conducting remediation and ways to optimise the design of remediation programs. Key points ASIC is expected to obtain a joint mandate with APRA to regulate the operation of superannuation funds. Once this mandate is introduced, we … Read more

Regulatory “Rinkles” – Spotlight on Transitional Issues for Grandfathered Conflicted Remuneration

08 July, 2020
This edition of Regulatory Rinkles follows on from our previous edition on Spotlight on Conflicted Remuneration and focuses on the transitional issues facing product issuers and advice licensees who are looking to end or deal with their existing grandfathered arrangements before the grandfathering exemption is removed from 1 January 2021. LEGISLATIVE BACKGROUND – THE END … Read more

Spotlight on Regulatory Risk in Financial Services

29 June, 2020
This edition of our FSR Australia Notes focuses on the concept and dimensions of regulatory risk. We see this as an increasingly important area of financial services regulation, as following the Financial Services Royal Commission, a financial institution’s relationship with the regulators is particularly paramount. There are many factors underpinning this observation, including the more … Read more

Regulatory “Rinkles”: Spotlight on conflicted remuneration

22 June, 2020
This edition of Regulatory Rinkles focuses on certain aspects of the conflicted remuneration regime under Part 7.7A of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (Act), which are often ill understood. This focus is timely following the Royal Commission and the proposed end of the grandfathering regime. While the grandfathering of conflicted remuneration is coming to an … Read more

ASIC continues its focus on advertising and disclosure

16 June, 2020
Yesterday, ASIC provided an update on its surveillance activity on advertising and disclosure by investment funds, emphasising the importance of investment fund disclosure not being misleading and adequately addressing risk. It is important for licensees to bear in mind that the stance and views taken by ASIC can be applied equally to other products, such … Read more

Impending changes to fee disclosure transitional provisions

01 June, 2020
ASIC has (again) flagged that it will be amending the transitional arrangements in the ASIC Corporations (Disclosure of Fees and Costs) Instrument 2019/1070 (Instrument) on its superannuation fund COVID-19 FAQ page: ASIC will be amending the transitional arrangements for Product Disclosure Statements (PDSs) shortly to allow entities to come into the new disclosure regime from … Read more