The Federal Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg has said the Government will take action on all 76 recommendations contained in the final report of the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry.
Included in the moves will be the real of grandfathered conflicted remuneration as soon as reasonably practicable, with the Government accepting a timetable for removal of 1 January, 2021.
The Government has also signalled further moving on life risk commissions with the Royal Commission stating the cap should ultimately be reduced to zero.
In doing so, the Treasurer said the Government would be implementing a compensation scheme of last resort and that his message to the financial sector was that misconduct must and that consumers must come first.
As well, Frydenberg said the Government would be clarifying the roles of the financial services regulators with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission becoming the primary conduct regulator.
The future of superannuation policy remains uncertain, with further reforms potentially on the horizon as the Albanese government seeks to curb the use of superannuation as a bequest vehicle.
Superannuation funds will have two options for charging fees for the advice provided by the new class of adviser.
The proposed reforms have been described as a key step towards delivering better products and retirement experiences for members, with many noting financial advice remains the “urgent missing piece” of the puzzle.
APRA’s latest data has revealed that superannuation funds spent $1.3 billion on advice fees, with the vast majority sent to external financial advisers.