treasury

Policy & Regulation

The industry needs to move beyond telling Treasury why opt-in requirements and banning volume rebates won’t work and start offering solutions to the problems, accor...

Financial planning

Opt in immutable

The Government is not likely to budge on the implementation of an opt-in provision but is flexible on how it is achieved....

Financial planning

Inspector general seeks abolishment of oral rulings

The inspector general of taxation has recommended the abolishment of the oral rulings system to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), in view of the continuing low level ...

Life/Risk

Insurers sweating on Treasury feedback

Insurers including Zurich, Asteron and ING have called on Treasury to reveal some of its intentions concerning commissions for life insurance....

Superannuation

SPAA recommends SG opt-out

The SPAA has recommended an ‘opt-out’ from the superannuation guarantee as a way for people with multiple employers to avoiding incurring significant tax pena...

Financial planning

Tax agents regime postponed for financial planners

The Treasury has deferred the application of the National Tax Agent Services regime to financial planners until 1 July, 2011, a move which has been applauded by financial...

Financial planning

FOFA reforms roundtable

The Future of Financial Advice reforms will see the end of commissions and the introduction of fee-for-service for planners. Mike Taylor hosts a roundtable to discuss wha...

Financial planning

Price pressures rising

Financial Planning Association chief Mark Rantall has warned against the pricing pressures created by “over regulation”, resulting in an inflation of the cost...

Life/Risk

No Govt decision on insurance commissions

Treasury officials confirm that insurance commissions are outside of scope of FOFA reforms....

Financial planning

Banks have a right to comment, says ABA

Curbing the banks’ ability to comment on their funding costs and interest rate intentions would result in a one-sided public debate, the Australian Bankers’ A...

Editorial

Understanding ATO's superannuation funds borrowing explanation

New legislation governing how superannuation fund trustees may borrow under a limited recourse borrowing arrangement has left a number of questions unanswered, says Bryce...

Editorial

Who do the industry bodies actually represent?

As the Federal Treasury works to find common ground on financial services reform, Mike Taylor suggests that an examination of those being consulted raises as many questio...

Financial planning

Price, not trust, main barrier to advice: FPA

The high cost of advice, driven up by regulatory barriers, is the main reason Australians are not seeking advice, according to Financial Planning Association chief execut...

Financial planning

Concerns over equity release product design regulation

Speculation has emerged about the Federal Government’s regulation of product design within the reverse mortgage sector....

Superannuation

NIA challenges Treasury’s SMSF stance

The National Institute of Accountants (NIA) has called on the Government to explain its so-called contradicting comments regarding self-managed superannuation funds (SMSF...