GOVERNMENTAL INVESTIGATIONS – AUSTRALIA

Senator demands extension to the Hayne inquiry to hear all claims

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Original article by Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 15-Aug-18

The banking royal commission is slated to deliver its final report by 1 February. However, Katter’s Australia Party senator Fraser Anning wants the inquiry to be extended, noting that just six farmers have been given the opportunity to provide evidence about misconduct in the financial services industry. Anning has also called for the inquiry’s terms of reference to be broadened to include the conduct of receivers, liquidators and valuers. He has raised the possibility of voting against government bills if the inquiry is not extended.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, KATTER’S AUSTRALIAN PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, ONE NATION PARTY

NAB admits to breaking law once a week

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Original article by James Frost
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 10 : 15-Aug-18

A document released by the banking royal commission show that National Australia Bank breached the terms of its financial services licence a total of 297 times between 2014 and 2017. Some 110 of these breaches were deemed to be serious, yet the majority of them were not reported to the corporate regulator within 10 days. The document also shows that 84 per cent of the significant breaches that were not reported within the required time-frame occurred during the 2014-15 financial year.

CORPORATES
NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS AUSTRALIA (INTERNATIONAL) PTY LTD

CBA’s 15,000 crimes waved on by APRA

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Original article by Ben Butler, Michael Roddan
The Australian – Page: 18 & 23 : 15-Aug-18

The banking royal commission has been told that the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority did not pursue action against Colonial First State over its tardiness in transitioning customers to MySuper products. The Commonwealth Bank of Australia subsidiary had been required to shift clients to the low-fee accounts by the start of 2014. However, it did not do so for more than three years. CBA admitted to over 15,000 breaches of the Superannuation Industry Supervision Act, but rather than impose fines, APRA approved a plan to gradually transition CFS clients to MySuper accounts.

CORPORATES
COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, COLONIAL FIRST STATE GROUP LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, AUSSIE HOME LOANS LIMITED, COUNT FINANCIAL LIMITED, FINANCIAL WISDOM LIMITED

NAB hid compo from ASIC

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Original article by Ben Butler, Michael Roddan
The Australian – Page: 17 & 21 : 14-Aug-18

National Australia Bank’s Andrew Hagger has denied allegations that it withheld information on compensation payments from the Australian Securities & Investments Commission. He told the banking royal commission that he had been "open and transparent" with ASIC commissioner Greg Tanzer in a telephone conversation on 24 October 2016, several hours after NAB’s wealth unit passed a resolution to increase compensation over its plan service fee. NAB released its financial results three days later, the same day on which ASIC released a report on the fees-for-no-service scandal.

CORPORATES
NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, NATIONAL WEALTH MANAGEMENT SERVICES LIMITED, NULIS NOMINEES AUSTRALIA LIMITED

NAB chief insists acts not a crime

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Original article by James Frost
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 8 : 10-Aug-18

The banking royal commission has heard that National Australia Bank is being investigated over more than 100 alleged breaches of the law. The alleged breaches relate to actions by its superannuation and wealth management units, with the investigations being carried out by the Australian Securities & Investments Commission. NAB CEO Andrew Thornburn says that it does not consider that the alleged claims against it amounted to criminal breaches, and he is absolutely certain that they were not criminal acts.

CORPORATES
NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, MLC LIMITED, AMCOR LIMITED – ASX AMC, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, SOUTH32 LIMITED – ASX S32, CARLTON AND UNITED BREWERIES

NAB placed on criminal charge alert

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Original article by Ben Butler, Michael Roddan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 9-Aug-18

The "fee for no service" scandal has deepened, with the banking royal commission being told that National Australia Bank had charged more than 4,000 clients some $3m in fees after they had died. Nicole Smith, the chair of NAB’s superannuation trustee, confirmed that it had been charging dead people an adviser fee as recently as June. She said NAB looked into the issue earlier in 2018 after the inquiry heard that the Commonwealth Bank had been collecting fees from deceased customers. The inquiry was also told that NAB’s conduct could potentially incur criminal charges.

CORPORATES
NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION

NAB’s fee strategy in spotlight

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Original article by Joanna Mather
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 7-Aug-18

The banking royal commission has been told that National Australia Bank retained "grandfathered" commissions after merging five separate superannuation funds in 2016. A former NAB executive, Paul Carter, told the inquiry that the bank had been concerned about the impact that abolishing the commissions would have on revenue, as financial planners could potentially have responded to the move by directing clients to other products. The inquiry was also told that NAB failed to inform clients that they could opt out of paying a "plan service fee".

CORPORATES
NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, MLC LIMITED, MLC MASTERKEY, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, NULIS

Super funds face heat over other expenses

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Original article by Joanna Mather
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 25-Jul-18

The classification of superannuation funds’ expenses in the category of "other" has come under scrutiny in a background paper issued by the banking royal commission. About 20 per cent of industry super funds’ expenses are categorised as "other", compared with around 10 per cent of retail funds’ expenses. The background paper also notes that many people who switch super funds in search of lower fees and higher returns often end up with higher fees and lower returns. Superannuation will be a focus of the inquiry’s next round of public hearings, which begin on 6 August.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, INDUSTRY SUPER AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, RICE WARNER ACTUARIES PTY LTD

Hayne to probe industry super funds over union sponsorships

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Original article by Michael Roddan
The Australian – Page: 17 & 21 : 20-Jul-18

The superannuation industry will be a key focus of the banking royal commission’s next round of hearings, which will commence on 6 August. AustralianSuper, Hostplus and Cbus are believed to be among the industry super funds that have been asked to provide the inquiry with information on their sponsorship arrangements with unions. However, the inquiry is not believed to have requested similar information regarding such deals with employers’ groups.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIANSUPER PTY LTD, HOST-PLUS, CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING UNIONS’ SUPERANNUATION FUND, HEALTH EMPLOYEES’ SUPERANNUATION TRUST AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AMP LIMITED – ASX AMP, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, THE NEW DAILY, INDUSTRY SUPER HOLDINGS PTY LTD, ME BANK, INDUSTRY SUPER AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, MASTER BUILDERS AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED, ACTU, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MARITIME, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA

APRA backs banks over Hayne probe

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Original article by James Frost
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 2 : 19-Jul-18

The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority has defended the banking sector in its submission to the royal commission’s fourth round of public hearings. APRA argued amongst other things that banks have a right to make a profit and to call in bad debts when a borrower is unable to repay a loan. APRA was responding to questions raised by royal commissioner Ken Hayne regarding the need to balance the interests of banks and customers who are experiencing financial problems.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, BANKWEST, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION