No one reads the PDS: ASICBY ELIZABETH MCARTHUR | TUESDAY, 15 OCT 2019 11:57AMASIC is calling time on the financial services industry's reliance on disclosure as the default consumer protection, saying it enables poor conduct and poor consumer outcomes. Related News |
Editor's Choice
Cbus rolls out death benefit nomination changes
Cbus will roll out changes to death benefit nominations, which include scrapping nominations that expire in three years.
Guardians farewells head of asset allocation
The Guardians of NZ Super has named a new head of asset allocation to replace Charles Hyde, who is leaving to take up a role abroad.
IFS recovers record $250m in unpaid super
Industry Fund Services (IFS) has recovered a record $250 million in unpaid superannuation in the 2025-26 financial year, bringing its total recoveries to $2.5 billion since the service commenced.
Betashares launches diversified ETF suite
Betashares has expanded its core investment range with the launch of four diversified exchange traded funds.
Videos
Brought to you by ![]()
Further Reading
Products
Expert Feed
When geopolitics becomes a portfolio risk
Geopolitics is back - again - and Australian investors can no longer treat it as distant background noise.
Does association membership still matter?
With all the changes the advice sector has experienced in recent years, such as regulatory reform and increased education and professional standards ...
Digital assets and where they stand in 2026
So far in 2026 digital assets have captured the headlines largely for the wrong reasons, but that doesn't tell the full story.
Rethinking default design in a changing market environment
The evolution underway in the US DC system highlights the value of periodically reassessing default design assumptions.
Featured Profile
Andrew Gregory
CHIEF ADVICE OFFICER
UNISUPER
UNISUPER
After 25 years, Andrew Gregory remains motivated by the impact financial advice can have on Australians' lives. As UniSuper's chief advice officer, he is not slowing down on any of his current ambitions. Matthew Wai writes.
The Financial Standard podcast Tune in each week as we discuss the latest developments in Australia's wealth management industry. |  |
The super industry has been up in arms to ASIC about this for years yet ASIC has been the main culprit, insisting that PDSs contain more and more information - 99% meaningless to ordinary superannuation members.
So why have advisers for years had to give out what is now recognised as meaningless information? Just a waste of time. Compliant advice has never been the equivalent of good advice. ASIC has never understood this. No wonder people try to DIY their super, insurances and investments. No wonder people don't like paying for "advice" when there's so much meaningless information involved. When will we be allowed to get back to basics???
ASIC you are the one who wants the disclosure. You started this war. Don't complain that it doesn't work. Of course no one reads the PDS. You didn't need to conduct market research to discover that.