There has been so much talk about blockchain and distributed ledger technology recently especially in financial services that you might be forgiven for thinking it might be more hype than substance But we think it could be very important technology ...

Those dealing in PNGs capital markets should be aware that the PNG Parliament recently passed a package of legislation to substantially amend and strengthen the regulation of its capital markets The regime will introduce new licensing requirements for those involved in activities such as securities ...

The FSI recommended that the Government emIntroduce an industry funding model for Australian Securities and Investment Commission ASIC and provide ASIC with stronger regulatory toolsem This recommendation No29 covers two topics that ASIC has pursued on a number of occasions including in its ...

ASIC released its report Financial advice Fees for no service today It says that there has been a systemic failure by advice licensees within some of the major banks and AMP to provide ongoing advice in return for ongoing fees The report relates chiefly to arrangements between licensees and clients ...

Exposure draft life insurance regulations were released yesterday They are a marked departure from the existing conflicted remuneration provisions Now a benefit can only be conflicted remuneration if it could reasonably be expected to influence financial product advice These regulations will create ...

For more than 150 years trustees have been able to obtain advice from courts on matters affecting the management or administration of trust property and on matters respecting the interpretation of trust deeds Trustees would usually only seek such advice however if they had doubts about a proposed ...

The new Life Insurance Code of Practice has much to recommend it The paragraphs concerning policy design are a case in point But is the Code indeed just a code or does it purport to go further ...

Commercial trusts could not operate without limitation of liability clauses however getting a limitation of liability clause just right is very challenging ...

As the dust settles following the recent federal election it is a good time to reflect on what we can expect from the re-elected Coalition Government for the financial services sector There are two main groups of policy proposals that are going to need to get through Parliament The first is the ...

The Corporations Act 2001 Cth was amended in 2004 to include an additional obligation for Australian financial services licensees to have in place adequate arrangements for the management of conflicts of interest that may arise in relation to the activities undertaken by the licensees in the ...