FS Super - Ethics & Governance Articles

Ethics & Governance Articles

Compensating superannuation members for fees for no advice

MICHELLE LEVY | Comments | THURSDAY, 18 JUL 2019

APRA and ASIC issued a joint letter to all RSE licensees entitled Oversight of fees charged to members' superannuation accounts in early April ... Read more

Reflections on the design and distribution obligations and ASIC product intervention powers

HARRY NEW , VINCE BATTAGLIA | Comments | FRIDAY, 21 JUN 2019

In this article, we briefly outline the design and distribution obligations and ASIC's product intervention powers set out in recent amendments to the ... Read more

Protecting Your Superannuation Package

ZOE CHAPMAN , GEOFF SANDERS | Comments | THURSDAY, 4 APR 2019

Recently passed legislation, part of a package of reforms designed to 'protect Australians' superannuation savings from undue erosion by fees ... Read more

Top six Royal Commission recommendations that affect SMSFs

PETER BURGESS | Comments | FRIDAY, 1 MAR 2019

The Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry (the Commission) released its final report and the ... Read more

Building adaptive capacity

ANDREW BROWN | Comments | FRIDAY, 1 FEB 2019

Much has been written about the disruptive changes that are continually assailing organisations and markets. Organisations that have been unable to ... Read more

The next crisis will be different (Part two)

DTCC * | Comments | WEDNESDAY, 28 NOV 2018

The past several years have been characterised by a worldwide economic expansion that is broadly synchronised between the U.S., Europe and Asia. In ... Read more

The next crisis will be different (Part one)

DTCC * | Comments | FRIDAY, 23 NOV 2018

Over the past decade, the financial industry has made substantial progress in strengthening global market stability and enhancing resilience. ... Read more

Tips and traps for SMSFs investing in a private company

STUART SHEARY | Comments | FRIDAY, 2 NOV 2018

Gaining greater control and investment flexibility are often significant motivators for people setting up a self-managed superannuation fund (SMSF). ... Read more

The sole purpose test substantially clarified by the Full Federal Court

DANIEL BUTLER , WILLIAM FETTES | Comments | FRIDAY, 12 OCT 2018

A recent unanimous decision of the Full Federal Court represents a major win for SMSFs and taxpayers on the topic of the sole purpose test. This ... Read more

Social risks for a financial services business

IAN LAUGHLIN | Comments | FRIDAY, 16 FEB 2018

How can it be that institutions spend huge amounts of money, resources and intellect on managing risk, and still find themselves being castigated by ... Read more

Status quo thinking

RAEWYN WILLIAMS | Comments | FRIDAY, 2 FEB 2018

Industry, public sector and corporate superannuation funds are finding their myriad stakeholders are a difficult group to please. First, there are ... Read more

Strategic human capital

DOUG HOLMES | Comments | THURSDAY, 5 OCT 2017

Long value preservation and growth have never before depended so fundamentally on effective management of human capital. Rapid technological change ... Read more

Pathways to success

BEN WALSH | Comments | FRIDAY, 25 AUG 2017

The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) is increasingly scrutinising whether Registrable Superannuation Entity (RSE) Licensees are ... Read more

Data portability in Australian financial services

PAUL CHAPMAN | Comments | FRIDAY, 7 JUL 2017

For Australia's financial services industry to transition successfully to an open data ecosystem, it is crucial to move forward in a way that promotes ... Read more

How super stacks up on fairness, adequacy, and sustainability

KAREN VOLPATO | Comments | FRIDAY, 13 JAN 2017

Superannuation is now a fundamental part of Australian society with compulsory employer contributions, a level of assets larger than our GDP, and a ... Read more

The state of the industry

SALLY LOANE | Comments | FRIDAY, 13 JAN 2017

The headwinds on the horizon are plain to see. Political uncertainty is the new normal. The benefits of free trade are being challenged by those with ... Read more

Top 10 actions for superannuation providers in 2016

HENDRIE KOSTER | Comments | THURSDAY, 29 OCT 2015

Many of the key themes seen in the superannuation industry over the last couple of years remain constant as we enter 2016, with continued emphasis on ... Read more

PART II: Governance, cost and sustainable investing

DAVID BRAGA | Comments | THURSDAY, 29 OCT 2015

BNP Paribas Securities Services recently commissioned the Economist Intelligence Unit to write this paper that how the world's leading pension ... Read more

PART I: Governance, cost and sustainable investing

DAVID BRAGA | Comments | THURSDAY, 29 OCT 2015

BNP Paribas Securities Services recently commissioned the Economist Intelligence Unit to write this paper that how the world's leading pension funds ... Read more

Australia's financial system and climate risk

KATE MACKENZIE | Comments | THURSDAY, 29 OCT 2015

The Climate Institute recently welcomed the establishment of the Senate Economics References Committee Inquiry into Carbon Risk Disclosure. The ... Read more

Driving long-term investment and delivering responsible financial markets

SIMON O'CONNOR | Comments | THURSDAY, 29 OCT 2015

The importance of focusing capital markets on the longer term is a matter of much international discussion, debate and regulation globally. This global ... Read more

Prudent person rule versus ESG considerations in investment decisions

STANLEY RICKERT | Comments | THURSDAY, 29 OCT 2015

Is there a convergence of ESG concerns with the investment rules based on a "Prudent Person"? This paper considers whether the Prudent Person ... Read more

Why we believe responsible investing pays off

ANNE-MAREE O'CONNOR , DAVID RAE , RISHAB SETHI | Comments | THURSDAY, 29 OCT 2015

The Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation, the Crown entity that manages the New Zealand Superannuation Fund, believe it is important to clearly ... Read more

Climate Change: Risk factors and scenarios

HELGA BIRGDEN , KAREN LOCKRIDGE | Comments | WEDNESDAY, 27 MAY 2015

Imagine the investable universe could be examined through a telescope. The simplest scope might give you a better view of the more obvious risks and ... Read more

Amendments to the superannuation guarantee charge

REBECCA JAMES | Comments | WEDNESDAY, 27 MAY 2015

In an attempt to simplify the superannuation guarantee (SG) regime, and reduce the penalties associated with the SG charge (SGC), the federal ... Read more

How can organisations adopt ESG considerations into their investment strategies

STANLEY RICKERT | Comments | WEDNESDAY, 27 MAY 2015

This paper examines Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues first from a company's perspective and then from a shareholder's or ... Read more

Investing in illiquid assets

GEOFFREY WARREN | Comments | WEDNESDAY, 27 MAY 2015

Investing in illiquid assets - such as unlisted property, infrastructure or even small cap stocks - entails additional costs and risks, and constraints ... Read more

Unravelled: the best interest duties - process or outcome?

MICHELLE LEVY | Comments | SUNDAY, 4 AUG 2013

Superannuation fund trustees and their lawyers (including this one) have been grappling for years with what the covenant in section 52(2)(c) of the ... Read more

Remunerating executives for shareholder value

AMANDA WILSON , SUSHEELA PERES DA COSTA | Comments | SUNDAY, 4 AUG 2013

Regnan's Amanda Wilson and Susheela Peres da Costa look at the controversial issue of executive remuneration. ... Read more

Instos get serious about climate change

JAMES FERNYHOUGH | Comments | SUNDAY, 4 AUG 2013

Last month's United Nations Climate Summit saw a flurry of announcements from some of the world's major institutional investors, ranging from ... Read more

Corporate reporting in Australia

GORDON HAGART | Comments | SUNDAY, 4 AUG 2013

ACSI's latest paper on sustainability reporting in Australia reveals a steady improvement, but finds some companies are still falling short. It is ... Read more

ESG - busting the myths

MANS CARLSSON-SWEENY | Comments | SUNDAY, 4 AUG 2013

AMP Capital senior research analyst Mans Carlsson-Sweeny draws some key distinctions between environment, social and governance (ESG) investing, and ... Read more

Are independent trustee directors needed?

ANDREW BOAL | Comments | SUNDAY, 4 AUG 2013

Towers Watson's Andrew Boal gives his views on the topical question of whether super funds should be forced to have a quota of independent ... Read more

Addressing the prudential requirements for better management of superannuation data

RON MULLINS | Comments | MONDAY, 19 NOV 2012

IQ Group principal Ron Mullins takes a look at APRA's evolving data requirements and the challenges they pose for superannuation ... Read more

Meeting the insurance management framework obligation

RENEE VOUTT | Comments | MONDAY, 19 NOV 2012

TAL's Renee Voutt gives some pointers on how to ensure insurance management frameworks meet the new prudential regulatory regime. ... Read more

Target benefit retirement schemes part two

EPCO VAN DER LENDE , PETR KOCOUREK , JAN BAARS | Comments | MONDAY, 19 NOV 2012

In part two of this paper, the authors continue their exploration of innovative approaches for collective defined contribution pension systems or ... Read more

Is disclosure always a good thing?

WAYNE DAVY | Comments | MONDAY, 19 NOV 2012

Quadrant Super CEO Wayne Davy questions whether full disclosure is always in the best interest of members. ... Read more

Position paper: Director and executive security trading

ERIK MATHER | Comments | TUESDAY, 1 JAN 2008

Effective protection against insider trading is critical to market confidence and, over time, liquidity. For a company, failing to demonstrate a working ... Read more

Latest News


First State Super, VicSuper merger talks progress JAMIE WILLIAMSON \| 8:27AM First State Super and VicSuper have now signed a Binding Heads of Agreement to merge, with leadership roles and a 2020 deadline confirmed.	Super body opposes member interests bill HARRISON WORLEY The Government's move to reintroduce its member interests superannuation reforms continues to rile pockets of the super sector.

New Zealand retirement system under review HARRISON WORLEY New Zealand's retirement income system is under review, determined to measure the impact of shifting labour forces and declining home ownership.	Corporate fund updates members on fee changes KARREN VERGARA A $12 billion corporate super fund has achieved lower investment and transaction fees for its members for the 2019 financial year.

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Closing the gap

MELINDA HOWES
GENERAL MANAGER, SUPERANNUATION
BT FINANCIAL GROUP

After a period of hiatus, Melinda Howes returned to BT Financial Group as general manager of superannuation having realised her passion for super and the difference she can make in members' lives. Karren Vergara writes.

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Luke Hooper

Special Counsel

FS Super

The Protecting Your Super package fee and costs caps for low-balance members

The Treasury Laws Amendment (Protecting Your Superannuation Package) Bill 2018 (Bill) passed both houses of Parliament on the 18th of February and now ...

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Travis Dickinson

Senior Consultant

FS Super

Introducing a CGT pension bonus scheme

When an active or retained member of your fund transfers to an account-based pension, unrealised capital gains tax (CGT) provisions are released, creating ...

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Grant Suttie

Head of Service Delivery, Alternative Investment Services, Asia Pacific

FS Super

Hedge fund managers: Start thinking like a mutual fund

The hedge fund industry has evolved from its heady beginnings, when a few elite managers went unquestioned as long as they delivered superior returns.

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Bill Glover

Partner

FS Super

Banking Royal Commission: Managed investment funds under the spotlight

The banking Royal Commission focused on misconduct by banks, insurance companies, mortgage brokers and superannuation trustees. However, anyone who is ...

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27-29

FPA Professional Congress returns to Melbourne

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Advisers Big Day Out Bendigo

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