Like all industries, the superannuation industry is facing some immense challenges in light of the rapidly developing COVID-19 pandemic. This Insight considers some of the more topical issues the industry is facing ...

The COVID Safe Harbour will provide useful immediate relief for companies and their directors, particularly those who need time to assess the company's position before developing a turnaround plan or pursuing an insolvency administration if that becomes necessary. ...

Proposed changes giving ASIC powers in relation to financial services industry codes of conduct means that obligations in these codes may become enforceable. This is interesting because the drafting in many of these codes tends to be broad, and, in some cases, goes far beyond the participants' exist ...

Commissioner Hayne's recommendations may initially seem somewhat modest – they do not undo vertical integration, impose limits on executive remuneration or ban bonuses and they do not recommend that directors prefer the interests of their customers. But, while it is true that the recommendations are not radical, there is much in the report that will mean some real changes for financial services companies, their Boards and their executives, as well as for their regulators and advisers. ...

In the Final Report, the Commissioner has found that, for the most part, whilst the legislative tools necessary to protect borrowers are already available, there have been significant shortcomings in their application and enforcement. ...

In the Final Report, the Commissioner has found that, for the most part, whilst the legislative tools necessary to protect borrowers are already available, there have been significant shortcomings in ...

Perhaps the biggest issue dealt with in the superannuation hearings is how various forms of conflicts create perverse incentives for trustees to not comply with their duties. ...

Both the Sydney population and the population of Melbourne are expected to reach the size of New York City by 2050, raising questions about how our cities of the future will function. ...

In her summary my colleague, Michelle Levy, said her initial reaction was that the recommendations in the Final Report were modest but, on a second reading, some would set a cat among the pigeons. ...

Throughout the Royal Commission, Commissioner Hayne grappled with the difficulties of striking an appropriate balance between ensuring that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have access to credit, and imposing standards on the provision of that credit to protect SME borrowers and third-party guara ...