GOVERNMENTAL INVESTIGATIONS – AUSTRALIA

Morgan backs broker fee reform

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Original article by Richard Gluyas
The Australian – Page: 17 & 18 : 4-Mar-19

David Morgan has stepped down as deputy chairman of Dutch bank NIBC after eight years. Morgan notes that the mortgage broking industry in the Netherlands had survived after commissions were replaced by borrower-paid fees, and he does not see why the same system, as recommended by the banking royal commission, should not work in Australia. Morgan, a former CEO of Westpac, does not believe that it will take the banks as long to regain trust as some have speculated.

CORPORATES
WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, NIBC BANK NV, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, IOOF HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX IFL, AMP LIMITED – ASX AMP, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Labor waves new stick at big banks

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 20-Feb-19

Labor has unveiled draft laws to implement five recommendations of the Hayne royal commission which it believes can be implemented before the election. However, the federal goverment contends that Labor’s proposals are unworkable and have been rushed. The government is expected to release its own draft laws in coming days. Meanwhile, Labor proposes to require the CEOs of major banks to make twice-yearly reports to Parliament on their progress on implementing Hayne’s recommendations. The government in turn will give the Australian Financial Complaints Authority retrospective powers to hear financial complaints dating back to the start of 2008.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL COMPLAINTS AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STANDING COMMITTEE ON ECONOMICS

Criminal charges await bankers

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Original article by Michael Roddan
The Australian – Page: 3 : 20-Feb-19

The Australian Securities & Investments Commission released its response to the final report of the Hayne royal commission on 19 February. ASIC has disclosed that it is prioritising 11 instances of misconduct by eight companies or individuals in the banking sector that were referred to it by the inquiry, with a view to recommending criminal charges. ASIC is assessing an additional 16 cases to determine if there are grounds for prosecution, while it is also investigating 12 case studies that were presented to the royal commission but were not specifically referred to the corporate watchdog.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL COMPLAINTS AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK ASIA, DOVER FINANCIAL ADVISERS PTY LTD, CLEARVIEW WEALTH LIMITED – ASX CVW

I’ll prove the royal commission wrong, Henry vows

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Original article by John Durie
The Australian – Page: 17 & 21 : 15-Feb-19

National Australia Bank is to follow the lead of Suncorp and set up a board committee that focuses on customers. NAB chairman Ken Henry says he did not intend to appear arrogant when he gave evidence at the royal commission. Henry says he feels that NAB is on the right path to restoring its tainted reputation, and that he intends to prove commissioner Kenneth Hayne wrong. Henry will step down when a replacement for CEO Andrew Thorburn is appointed.

CORPORATES
NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, SUNCORP GROUP LIMITED – ASX SUN, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY

NAB the big loser from Hayne Royal Commission – most distrusted bank in Australia

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 15-Feb-19

Roy Morgan has been measuring bank trust and distrust since 2017 and recently conducted a survey in January before the release of the Hayne report, and another in February during the week following the report being made public. The Roy Morgan Net Trust Score Survey in January revealed CBA as the bank brand with the lowest level of trust and the highest level of distrust. However, in the wake of the Hayne report, NAB skyrocketed into the unenviable position as Australia’s least trusted and most distrusted bank brand. In January 36.9% of Australians distrusted NAB, but in the immediate wake of the report’s release the number of Australians distrusting NAB soared to 53.7%. Simultaneously, NAB’s level of trust plunged from 18.5% to 11.5%, delivering it the banking sector’s worst Net Trust Score of -42.2%, with the other three major brands in the minus twenties. Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine says this is the highest level of distrust we have ever seen for a bank brand in Australia.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA

Wage rises to arrest falling growth outlooks

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Original article by Natasha Gillezeau, Matthew Cranston
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 9 : 14-Feb-19

BIS Oxford Economics recently downgraded its GDP growth forecast to 2.2 per cent, but the firm does not expect the Hayne royal commission to have much impact on the economy. Alexandra Heath, the Reserve Bank’s head of economics, says the labour market was more resilient in 2018 than the central bank had expected, and it is likely to remain strong in 2019. She says this should in turn lead to a gradual increase in wages. She adds that the downturn in the housing market is unlikely to have much impact on economic growth or consumer spending.

CORPORATES
BIS OXFORD ECONOMICS PTY LTD, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE. INSTITUTE OF APPLIED ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RESEARCH

Follow-up to bank probe

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Original article by John Kehoe, Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 14-Feb-19

Labor’s push to recall parliament for an additional two weeks in March seems unlikely to succeed after three crossbenchers signalled that they will oppose the motion. Meanwhile, the federal government has told banks and industry regulators that it will hold another inquiry in three years’ time to make sure that the misconduct exposed by the financial services royal commission is not being repeated. Labor in turn has proposed harsher penalties for misconduct in the sector.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIAN BANKING ASSOCIATION, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC

Reforms ‘won’t be easy’, says APRA

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Original article by Richard Gluyas
The Australian – Page: 21 : 14-Feb-19

Australian Prudential Regulation Authority chairman Wayne Byres has defended its track record for overseeing the financial services sector, after APRA was criticised by the Hayne royal commission. Byres acknowledges that APRA must be more active in regulating the financial services sector, but he notes the challenges involved. He points out that APRA has a workforce of just 600 to supervise nearly 600 financial services providers, and only about half of its employees have a frontline role.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION

Katter hands PM a temporary reprieve

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Original article by Rosie Lewis, Richard Gluyas
The Australian – Page: 5 : 13-Feb-19

Financial Services Council CEO Sally Loane has cautioned against rushing legislation through parliament in response to the final report of the financial services royal commission. Meanwhile, independent MP Bob Katter has signalled that he will not support Labor’s push to recall parliament for an additional two weeks in March to implement some of the inquiry’s recommendations. He argues that the federal government should take action immediately. Katter has also described the royal commission’s recommendations as "worthless".

CORPORATES
FINANCIAL SERVICES COUNCIL, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Banks’ election risks rise

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 12-Feb-19

Labor requires 76 votes in the lower house to force parliament to sit for an additional two weeks to legislate some of the Hayne royal commission’s recommendations. The support of crossbenchers may be crucial, and independent MP Bob Katter says he may be prepared to back Labor’s motion. This could potentially see the government abandon a deal struck with Katter regarding supply and confidence following the Wentworth by-election. Prime Minister Scott Morrison argues that there is insufficient time before the election to enact all of Hayne’s recommendations that will require legislation.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY