FSR GPS: What is the deadline for notifying ASIC of a reportable situation?

In this edition of FSR GPS, we set out some useful tips to help licensees calculate the 30-day reporting deadline under the ASIC breach reporting regime. A licensee is required to report to ASIC within 30 days after it first knows that, or is reckless with respect to whether, there are reasonable grounds to believe … Read more

FSR GPS: WHEN IS AN INCORRECT MISSTATEMENT NOT MISLEADING OR DECEPTIVE?

In this edition of the FSR GPS, we highlight some key principles that can help AFS licensees identify when an immaterial misstatement may: not constitute misleading or deceptive conduct; and therefore, not automatically be reportable as a significant breach to ASIC under section 912DAA of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (Corporations Act). As with our … Read more

ASSESSING CRIMINAL OFFENCE PROVISIONS FOR ASIC BREACH REPORTING

The breach reporting regime continues to give rise to ambiguity for licensees. As we have commented previously, there continues to be a mismatch in breach reporting practices across the industry and ASIC expectations, as well as a divergence of breach reporting practices between licensees. A common area of over-reporting is in the context of reporting … Read more

THE BREACH REPORTING CHASM

On 27 October 2022, ASIC released its first publication of information lodged under the new breach reporting regime, Report 740 Insights from the reportable situations regime: October 2021 to June 2022 (Report 740). As readers will be aware, the new breach reporting regime for financial services came into effect on 1 October 2021, seeking to … Read more

Good Advice in Superannuation – The Elephant in the Room

The Quality of Advice Review contains some very sensible recommendations with respect to financial advice in the superannuation fund setting. Nonetheless, section 3.2 of the Proposals Paper raises the issue of the possible expansion of the concept of intra-fund advice. The following quote is instructive: “Most (although not all) superannuation fund trustees have told us … Read more

Keeping up with the finfluencers: Why it’s not what you say but who you are

The recent charges imposed on a (very) famous influencer in the US by the US Securities and Exchange Commission is informative to the current discussion and debate in Australia regarding the Quality of Advice Review. The charges (which were ultimately settled for a sum of $1.26 million and a 3-year embargo on promoting crypto asset … Read more

The Good Advice Duty: The Animals Remix or Back to the Future?

One of the very memorable catch phrases from the Animals’ song repertoire goes along the lines of “Oh Lord, please don’t let me be misunderstood.” These words could be applied, respectfully, to the proposed “Good Advice” duty – specifically, the central pivot which links “good advice” to the test of whether the advice would be … Read more

Quality of Advice Review: HSF makes submission on financial advice reform

In August 2022, the Quality of Advice Review released its Proposals Paper setting out a range of proposals to improve the accessibility and affordability of financial advice. Our team has made a formal submission to the Quality of Advice Review. While we strongly support the majority of the proposals outlined in the Proposals Paper, there are … Read more

Anti-hawking in financial services: Some observations on multi-product discounts

For some time now, the issue of whether a sales representative can cross-position different insurance policies or financial products through the mechanism of a multi-policy or multi-product discount has been somewhat of a vexed issue – to say the least. In this context, we are referring to a scenario where a client makes an enquiry … Read more