The Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking Superannuation and Financial Services Industry is well underway with its first round of public hearings wrapping up less than a month ago By reference to a number of case studies the first round of hearings focused on consumer lending practices In ...

As companies and regulators across the world grapple with ever-increasing cyber security threats, Australia's financial services regulator, APRA, has released the final form of a new prudential standard, which imposes heigtened security obligations for APRA-regulated entities ...

Very broadly speaking current legislation relating to responsible lending says that a person must not recommend or make an unsuitable loan to a consumer - an unsuitable loan being one that either does not meet the consumers requirements and objectives or imposes repayment obligations that they are ...

The National Partnership Agreement on Asset Recycling between the Commonwealth and each of the states and territories firmly entrenches asset recycling for the next five years at least In last nights Budget the Federal Budget announced 5 billion will be made available to fund payments to the states ...

Last night the Senate Economics Legislation Committee released its report on the Corporations Amendment Streamlining of Future of Financial Advice Bill 2014 The Committees recommendations could lead to changes in the treatment of scaled advice and general advice Partner Michelle Levy and Senior ...

The Federal Government has released its much anticipated Review into Open Banking in Australia The Review makes 50 sweeping recommendations to implement Open Banking including a new regulatory framework under which the regime would operate in the broader context of a new Consumer Data Right for all ...

A number of industries and issues are in the spotlight following release of the ACCCs 2018 Enforcement and Compliance Priorities by ACCC Chairman Rod Sims on 20 February 2018 The financial services energy commercial construction and agriculture sectors will be a focus in 2018 as well as the ...

Whether or not to more broadly adopt a user-pays model for road infrastructure is a contentious debate within Australia A number of industry participants and bodies have shown leadership in framing and enriching the debate while others have sought to politicise or inflame the core issues Partner ...

A principal has successfully challenged a decision to grant an interlocutory injunction restraining it from calling on performance bonds ...

Regulators particularly in the UK and Australia are increasingly interested in corporate culture in the financial services industry its impact on the integrity of the system and what the regulators are doing to try to entrench a corporate culture that works for the benefit of consumers and investors ...