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Sean

Professional in a dark suit runs between the legs of a giant businessman holding a magnifying glass, symbolising an attempt to evade regulatory scrutiny and oversight.

Harder to avoid: ASIC’s 2026 enforcement priorities are really a governance test.

September 12, 2026

ASIC’s 2026 enforcement priorities target specific conduct problems, but the bigger message for AFSL and credit licensees is governance. As ASIC becomes more data-driven, effective compliance increasingly means being able to show that risks are identified, controls work, patterns are detected and action follows when problems emerge.
Satirical image of an extravagantly wealthy, foolish-looking man surrounded by luxury items and cash, with the text “Fixing Wholesale Definitions.”

Australia’s wholesale client test needs urgent renewal

September 8, 2026

Australia’s wholesale client test can treat wealth as a proxy for financial sophistication. We examine why the current thresholds are outdated and how the framework could better protect genuinely retail investors.
ASIC Corporate Plan 2026–27 illustrated by a smiling, imposing businessman in a suit standing at an office entrance

Easier To Deal With. Harder To Avoid.

August 31, 2026

ASIC wants to be easier to deal with for businesses trying to comply — and harder to avoid for those causing harm. Here’s what ASIC’s 2026–27 Corporate Plan means for boards, Responsible Managers and compliance teams.
Determined financial adviser with a suitcase tries to leave while an impassive grey-suited licensee blocks the stairs.

Adviser exits aren’t delayed by compliance. They’re delayed by control.

August 27, 2026

Leaving a financial advice licensee should be straightforward. Too often, ambiguity around compliance, client communications, records and authorisation gives the incumbent licensee leverage. Here’s how advisers can recognise it, reduce dependencies and prepare before they resign.
An adviser stands looking at solid foundations and knowing that great things can now be achieved

The floor has risen on advice quality. The ceiling hasn’t.

August 17, 2026

Six years of independent review data show a material shift in advice quality. Across 9,315 reviewed files, Poor and Very Poor advice fell from 20.9% to 10.0%, while Sound advice rose to 88.2%. The Advice Quality Index 2026 shows the floor has risen within the reviewed population. The next challenge is raising the ceiling.
A compliance dashboard presenting great metrics that actual misrepresent reality

AI Can Improve Monitoring. It Can’t Perform Governance.

August 9, 2026

AI can help licensees review more advice, identify patterns and detect emerging risks earlier. But better monitoring does not automatically mean better governance. Responsible Managers still need to interpret the evidence, challenge assumptions and decide what happens next.
Two advice professionals support each other and discuss the solution to the advice licensing problem.

The FSC Fixed Its Advice Licensing Plan. But It Still Lets Management Off the Hook

August 6, 2026

The FSC's revised White Paper represents a significant improvement on its original advice licensing proposals, abandoning size-based licensing in favour of stronger supervision. This analysis argues that lasting reform depends not on larger compliance teams or additional regulation, but on genuine management accountability, independent governance reviews and evidence that compliance systems operate effectively in practice.
Humanoid robot presenting an award to a financial services professional while other suited professionals stand restrained in the background, illustrating how AI increasingly rewards recognised public authority over invisible expertise.

How financial services firms can build authority without creating advice risk

July 20, 2026

AI is making public authority commercially valuable, but financial services firms cannot treat visibility as a free-for-all. Licensees need communication governance that separates education from regulated advice, supports adviser expertise and produces evidence of effective supervision.

The Compliance Measurement Trap

July 13, 2026

Licensees collect more compliance data than ever, but more measurement does not necessarily mean better oversight. The real challenge is turning dashboards, reviews and incidents into governance intelligence that identifies material risk, tests control effectiveness and changes decisions.

Are You Ready to be Self-Licensed?

July 10, 2026

Applying for an AFSL isn’t just an administrative process. It’s a practical test of whether your business is ready to operate as a regulated financial services Licensee. This guide explains how to prepare for the AFSL application process, what ASIC is likely to assess, and how to build the compliance infrastructure needed to support the application and operate after the licence is granted.

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