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Mixed inflation data keeps August RBA meeting a 'live' one
|Australia's Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 3.8% in the month of June, down from 4% in the 12 months to May 2026, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Emerging markets, private assets lift NGS Super FY26 performance
|Emerging markets, commodities and maturing private assets took the shine away from equities, helping deliver nearly 12% p.a. for NGS Super members over the last financial year.
ATO issues guidance on new LRBA rules for SMSFs
|The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) released new guidance for SMSFs affected by the looming limited recourse borrowing arrangement (LRBA) changes for residential property, with the SMSF Association (SMSFA) saying it provides important clarity for trustees ahead of the reform.
Igneo makes three acquisitions, launches energy platform
|Igneo Infrastructure Partners has launched a dedicated Australian distributed energy platform, Vertis Energy, alongside a series of acquisitions that will provide the business with an initial portfolio of 46 MW of solar assets.
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Featured Profile
Hugh Killen
MANAGING DIRECTOR AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
AUSTRALIAN AGRICULTURAL COMPANY LIMITED
AUSTRALIAN AGRICULTURAL COMPANY LIMITED
For Hugh Killen, several life lessons came from spending time on pastoral properties stretching across northern New South Wales and South-West Queensland.
The Financial Standard podcast Tune in each week as we discuss the latest developments in Australia's wealth management industry. |  |
Was anybody else surprised when they found out that the CFP is a designation and not a qualification? Since one has to study quite hard for it I am not sure about the distinction. I also never before heard that the CFP was not a qualification - I may have missed it but I never saw such a disclaimer before and I have been an FPA member for a while. Does anybody have any insights about this?
One pointer to the CFP not being a qualification is that a lot of people were grandfathered into it who only had a diploma of financial planning. It is one reason I only ever did CFP 1 (out of CFP 1-4) (to gain the life risk specialist - I presume - designation and not qualification?).
How is the CFP already at a Masters level?
Masters degrees are at Australian Qualifications Framework Level 9.
Graduate Certificates and Graduate Diplomas are at Australian Qualifications Framework Level 8.
The Certified Financial Planner is not even awarded as a Graduate Certificate. Hence its not even AQF Level 8. If it was why wouldn't the Financial Planning Association have got it formally recognised as a Graduate Certificate?
The Chartered Accountants Program is only 5 subjects and is awarded as a Graduate Diploma. Hence all the talk of designations versus qualifications is rather confusing. It's not clear at all why the Certified Financial Planner can't be awarded as a Graduate Certificate at least. With the certifications its effectively 5 subjects or at least 4 subjects (CFP1-4).