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Much-vaunted DDO regime no help on Shield, First Guardian

Much-vaunted DDO regime no help on Shield, First Guardian

The Joint Accounting Groups say the DDO regime confers powers on ASIC which the regulator has failed to adequately use on MISs.
Was ASIC auditor oversight a factor in Shield, First Guardian?

Was ASIC auditor oversight a factor in Shield, First Guardian?

ASIC has yet to take action against auditors who handled Shield and First Guardian but a ANAO report suggests the regulator is not blameless.
Bell AM lures Tyndall Small Companies team

Bell AM lures Tyndall Small Companies team

Bell Asset Management has further broadened its investment offering by luring Tyndall's small companies team.
Puzzle pieces being joined together in sunlight

Wealth Architects completes Bombora AFSL move

Yasmine Raso 5 March 2026

Financial Planning

No Comments

Wealth Architects has transitioned its operations to the Australian financial services licence of risk specialist, Bombora Advice.

ASX Registry Data

Vanguard debuts new S&P 500 funds on ASX

Binaya Dahal 5 March 2026

Funds Management

No Comments

Vanguard has unveiled three new S&P 500 Index funds, expanding Australian investors’ access to the world’s largest equity market.

Platform upgrade

BizCover expands PI offering through Zurich deal

Binaya Dahal 5 March 2026

Life Insurance

No Comments

BizCover has entered into a partnership with Zurich Australia to expand its professional indemnity insurance offering.

Pension

Change rules on Age Pension assistance says Cbus

Mike Taylor 4 March 2026

Financial Planning

9 Comments

Major industry fund Cbus is urging the Government to change the rules to allow superannuation funds to deliver Age Pension advice.

Feather duster

Life insurer sanctioned, but not named, for medical info breaches

Mike Taylor 4 March 2026

Life Insurance

No Comments

A major life insurer collected medical information from clients with obtaining a valid authority for nearly four years, according to the LCCC.

Digital financial advice

Australia risks missing $24bn digital finance opportunity

Binaya Dahal 4 March 2026

Investment

No Comments

Digital Finance CRC’s new study finds Australia could unlock $24 billion annually if the financial technology infrastructure is modernised.

Super gender gap

Female CEO under-remuneration drags down gender pay gap

Yasmine Raso 4 March 2026

Investment

No Comments

The WGEA data release has confirmed that while progress has been made on the gender pay gap overall, women in C-suite roles need more.


INDUSTRY NEWS

TPD Severity – built for today’s realities

Financial Newswire Contributor 2 March 2026

Industry News

No Comments

TPD Severity offers a modern solution that blends seamlessly with existing TPD products, giving financial advisers a flexible, smarter, and more

Challenger

Is your retirement advice built to last?

Financial Newswire Contributor 10 February 2026

Industry News

No Comments

As Australians live longer, longevity risk is reshaping retirement advice. Our guide helps advisers build resilient retirement income plans.

Unlock faster underwriting for smoother approvals

Financial Newswire Contributor 1 February 2026

Industry News

No Comments

Experience the future of faster underwriting with digital PMARs and automated decisioning. Deliver enhanced precision, smarter processing, and quicker

Mocktail, anyone? Investing across demographic trends

Financial Newswire Contributor 24 November 2025

Industry News

No Comments

Mirova’s Jens Peers explores the generational trends shaping investment opportunities within the demographic transition.


Moral hazard label

Rules make advisers the CSLR patsies

Mike Taylor 3 March 2026

Financial Planning

2 Comments

Financial advice licensees and advisers are being trapped by the moral hazard inherent in excluding MIS from the CSLR funding regime.

AFCA grows exec team ahead of remit expansion

Binaya Dahal 3 March 2026

Financial Planning

No Comments

The Australian Financial Complaints Authority has appointed Deborah Jenkins, Stevie-Ann Dovico and Brigid Parsonson in several executive roles.

Funding

Make ASIC fund independent PDS assessments – AIOFP

Mike Taylor 2 March 2026

Financial Planning

No Comments

ASIC should be made to tap into funds from the ASIC levy to fund independent assessments of MIS Product Disclosure Statements says AIOFP.

Old couple walking on pile of coins, businessman behind them on other pile of coins

MLC completes Retirement Boost launch with income phase

Yasmine Raso 3 March 2026

Superannuation

No Comments

MLC Expand has completed its MLC Retirement Boost launch, with the retirement income phase now available after savings was released last year.

anonymous

Industry funds urge name veil on private credit disclosures

Mike Taylor 2 March 2026

Investment

One Comment

The Super Members Council is urging ASIC to mirror its treatment of derivatives for private debt by removing the names of counterparties.

White puzzle piece with 'Politics' connected to green puzzle piece with 'Money'

Super lump sum drawdowns outgrow pension

Mike Taylor 27 February 2026

Superannuation

2 Comments

Despite the Government’s continuing policy push around the Retirement Income Covenant, lump sum super draw-down remain a popular choice.

Money cash in hand

Daintree urges advisers to look past RBA decisions

Binaya Dahal 3 March 2026

Investment

No Comments

Daintree Capital’s Justin Tyler says advisers’ local cash rate obsession risks missing the bigger shift underway in credit markets.

philanthropy

Higher ancillary fund distributions more damaging in long-term: APS

Yasmine Raso 2 March 2026

Investment

No Comments

The APS has warned the Government’s decision to increase minimum distribution rates risks eroding ancillary funds’ capital bases.

Senior leadership appointment

Fidelity promotes Heithersay to managerial role

Binaya Dahal 27 February 2026

Investment

No Comments

Fidelity International has appointed Sam Heithersay as Co‑Portfolio Manager for its Australian Equities Fund and associated mandates.