Financial Standard

Tranche 2 is coming before the election: Jones

ELIZA BAVIN   Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services Stephen Jones has confirmed Tranche 2 of the DBFO reforms will be released ahead of the election.

ASIC freezes assets Shield, First Guardian marketer

KARREN VERGARA   ASIC has frozen the assets of Rashid Alshakshir, who facilitated leads to the Shield Master Fund and First Guardian Master Fund, as it investigates his links with property fund manager and developer Paul Chiodo.

Study finds 5000 European ESG funds investing in fossil fuels

JAMIE WILLIAMSON  |    12:47PM   Close to 5000 European funds being marketed as ESG hold interests in companies involved in fossil fuels, research shows.

CFS awards fixed income mandate

ELIZA BAVIN  |    12:45PM   Colonial First State has awarded a $1 billion fixed income investing mandate to a global investment management firm.

Insurance through superannuation stages a comeback

ANDREW MCKEAN   After years of decline, the number of superannuation fund members with insurance is on the rise.

ClearView Wealth's profit bleeds 22% in HY25

MATTHEW WAI   ClearView Wealth's profit took a blow with its underlying net profit after tax (UNPAT) down 22% to $15.2 million in the six months to 31 December 2024, saying the slump was due to an "aberration" in the claims experience in the first quarter of FY25.

Unlawful hawking practices re-emerge in SMSFs

MATTHEW WAI   SMSF Association (SMSFA) chief executive Peter Burgess has called out recent hawking practices that prompt people to transfer their retirement savings into a self-managed super fund (SMSF).

SMSF Association names annual award winners

MATTHEW WAI   SMSF Association (SMSFA) has recognised four of its members at the 2025 SMSF National Conference, citing their excellence in self-managed superannuation and their contribution to the sector.

RBA forecasting has been 'terrible': Yarra Capital Management

MATTHEW WAI  |    12:40PM   Yarra Capital Management co-head of Australian fixed income Roy Keenan believes the RBA is "really behind the curve" when it comes to easing monetary policy, arguing that a delayed rate cut has little to no effect.

Skills gap crisis costing Australia $3.5bn a year

ELIZA BAVIN   School-leaver job uncertainty and the widening skills gap is costing the Australian economy billions of dollars every year.

AFCA opens consultation on financial elder abuse, family violence

KARREN VERGARA   The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) has launched two consultations on how it should improve its approach to handling complaints related to financial elder abuse and family violence.

Falcon Capital, First Guardian Master Fund set for liquidation

KARREN VERGARA   ASIC is attempting to liquidate responsible entity Falcon Capital, wind up the First Guardian Master Fund, as well as impose a receiver and manager to director David Anderson's personal property.

JANA hires Mercer principal

ELIZABETH FRY  |    2:24PM   JANA Investment Advisors has recruited a senior investment consultant to help bolster its wealth business.

TAL nabs AIA strategy lead

ELIZABETH FRY  |    2:23PM   The life insurer has recruited a senior investment strategy and portfolio manager from rival AIA.

Jones calls out super sector, hints at more reform

ELIZA BAVIN  |    12:47PM   Minister for Financial Services Stephen Jones says he is pushing to get super funds up to scratch when it comes to servicing members' needs, saying the proposed minimum standards "won't be the last word" on the matter.

Super fund consolidation to accelerate: Mercer

ANDREW MCKEAN  |    12:42PM   Australia's superannuation industry is poised for accelerated consolidation, with most existing funds set to disappear, according to a Mercer report.

FNZ wins mandate, names APAC head

JAMIE WILLIAMSON   FNZ has been handed a mandate by a $56 billion industry super fund, while also welcoming a Sydney-based head of Asia Pacific.

Data is our biggest challenge: Aware Super

ELIZA BAVIN   As regulators and members put more pressure on super funds to perform in an ever-evolving world, Aware Super says having reliable data is the most important factor.

HeirWealth expands with private office partnership

MATTHEW WAI  |    12:15PM   Australian wealthtech platform HeirWealth - launched in May last year - has announced a new partnership with HTL Private Office, expanding its offering to advisers and high-net-worth (HNW) clients.

Luxury asset investment platform launches for high-net-worth investors

ANDREW MCKEAN   Local technology firm, MUSE, has developed a platform that links high-net-worth investors and family offices with sellers of investment-grade luxury assets and high-end collectibles.