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October 2024During the month of September, legislation was passed which would enable recipients of paid parental leave (PLP) to receive superannuation contributions on their PLP payments, and the Government introduced a Bill which would implement fundamental reforms to the aged care system. In other news, the Government released draft regulations seeking feedback on a 2021-22 Federal Budget proposal to allow individuals to exit certain legacy retirement products, such as life expectancy and market-linked pensions. | View article |
September 2024During the month of August, a bill was introduced to Parliament to implement the Government’s proposal to pay superannuation guarantee on its payments made under the Paid Parental Leave scheme. The Government also introduced a bill to Parliament to make changes to the indexation of student loans. In other news, both ASIC and APRA released their Corporate Plans, outlining their priorities for 2024-25. | View article |
August 2024During the month of July, an Act which contained several social security measures that were announced in the 2024-25 Federal Budget received Royal Assent. The Government has also released exposure draft legislation on its proposal to amend the capital gains withholding tax regime for foreign residents. Other items of note include a media release by AFCA summarising the total number of complaints received for the 2023-24 year and details of its findings from the preliminary data. | View article |
July 2024During the month of June, legislation implementing the first tranche of the Government’s response to the Quality of Advice Review passed both houses and awaits Royal Assent. The Government has also released draft regulations for consultation on its proposed amendments consequential to the passage of the legislation. In other news, a bill was introduced to Parliament to extend the application of the Credit Code to buy now, pay later contracts and establish a new category of regulated credit which will cover some low cost credit contracts. | View article |
June 2024During May and June, legislation was passed to amend the law relating to social security and veterans' entitlements to preserve the social security means testing for recipients of certain military invalidity pensions. The Government has also introduced a bill to Parliament containing several social security measures that were announced in the 2023-24 Federal Budget. In other news, ASIC released guidance on the experienced provider pathway for financial advisers, and announced the launch of a new Professional Registers Search. | View article |
May 2024During May, the Government handed down the 2024–25 Federal Budget. The measures announced are unlikely to have a significant effect on the provision of financial advice. In other news, the Government released an exposure draft seeking feedback on the Help to Buy Program Directions, and ASIC published its findings after reviewing the member services provided by superannuation trustees and the progress trustees have made in addressing deficiencies in their monitoring of fee deductions. | View article |
April 2024During the month of March, the Government introduced a Bill to Parliament containing the first tranche of Quality of Advice reforms. The Government had also released exposure draft regulations on its proposed provisions to enable Division 296 tax to be calculated for interests in defined benefit schemes. In other news, an Act received Royal Assent which implements the second tranche of changes to the eligibility criteria of the Paid Parental Leave scheme. | View article |
March 2024During the month of February, the bill containing the Government’s proposed changes to the Stage 3 tax cuts passed both houses and received Royal Assent. The Government also announced that it intends to amend the Paid Parental Leave Scheme by introducing superannuation contributions to the payments. Also of note is the release of the Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings (AWOTE) figure for the December 2023 quarter, which triggered indexation of the concessional and non-concessional contribution caps. | View article |
February 2024During December 2023 and January 2024, the Government introduced a bill to Parliament to implement its proposed changes to the Stage 3 tax cuts and released draft legislation seeking feedback on minor amendments to the education requirements for financial advisers. Other items of note include an extension to the deadline by which financial advisers must be registered with ASIC. | View article |
December 2023During the month of November, the Government released draft legislation seeking industry feedback on the first tranche of the Delivering Better Financial Outcomes package of reforms, together with a detailed overview of its roadmap for financial advice reform. In other news, legislation was passed to implement changes in relation to the ASIC financial adviser register and amendments to the tax treatment of off-market share buy-backs. | View article |
November 2023During the month of October, the Government released a Consultation Paper seeking industry feedback on its proposal to regulate crypto and digital assets by imposing additional requirements on crypto exchanges and digital asset platforms. In other news, a Bill was introduced to Parliament which, if passed, would implement two changes to social security that would affect pension and income support recipients. | View article |
October 2023Since the last roundup, the Government released a consultation paper seeking feedback on reforms addressing unpaid employer superannuation guarantee contributions, and released draft legislation to introduce an additional tax on earnings for superannuation balances over $3 million. The Government also announced its intention to make two changes to social security that would affect pension and income support recipients. In other news, ASIC announced an extension to the date by which financial advisers are required to be registered. | View article |
September 2023During the month of August, social security measures announced in the 2023-24 Federal Budget passed both houses and received Royal Assent. Legislation including changes to the First Home Super Saver Scheme and recognising experience in the financial adviser industry was also passed, and now awaits Royal Assent. Other items of note include Treasury’s release of exposure draft legislation seeking feedback on the objective of superannuation. | View article |
August 2023During the month of July, APRA released for consultation its proposal to remake the Financial Claims Scheme Prudential Standard, and the Government released a consultation paper seeking feedback on a new individual tax residency framework. Other items of note include a media release by AFCA summarising the total number of complaints received for the 2022-23 financial year and details of the areas the complaints relate to. | View article |
July 2023During the month of June, the Government released its response to the Quality of Advice Review aimed at making high quality financial advice more accessible and affordable. Another item of note includes the introduction of a Bill to Parliament which contained proposals to better recognise the experience of existing financial advisers as well as address technical limitations in the current financial advice framework. | View article |