Australian Financial Services Industry Overview
Posted on February 7th, 2013 by OnlineMarketizing in Australian Chamber of Commerce Hong Kong Corporate Advisory Financial Services MDS News Recommended
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On November 10 2012 Sean Rothsey presented this compiled overview to Committee Members of the Finance, Legal and Taxation Committee of the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong to assist its members navigate, or assist clients of members to understand and navigate regulatory issues in the Financial Services Industry in Australia.
Reprinted here it provides his interpretation of the myriad of regulating and industry bodies.It is not advice and is meant as a guide only.As always professional advice should be sought for anymatter or thing that relates to individual circumstances .
AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY REGULATING AND INDUSTRY BODIES
The varying financial organisations in Australia are all subject to and accountable for laws, regulations and regulatory bodies overseeing the financial services industry . The three main bodies consist of Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA). Whilst these three are the main arms to the financial services industry, I have compiled an outline of these three plus others.
ASIC
The Australian Securities & Investment Commission monitors and promotes market integrity and protects consumers, investors and creditors. It regulates Australian companies, financial markets and financial services organisations, including those who deal and advise in investments, superannuation, insurance, deposit taking and credit. ASIC also promotes participation in the financial system by investors and consumers and provides information to the public about companies.
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RBA
The Reserve Bank of Australia makes monetary policy decisions aimed at achieving low and stable inflation. The RBA is responsible for maintaining the stability of the financial system, and it manages Australia’s foreign reserves, issues Australian currency notes and is banker to the Commonwealth Government.
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THE AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY
The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) is an integrated prudential regulator responsible for deposit-taking institutions (banks, building societies and credit unions) as well as friendly societies, life and general insurance and
superannuation. APRA is charged with regulating these financial institutions and for developing administrative practices and procedures (e.g. prudential standards) to give effect to its regulatory role, in a manner that balances financial safety and efficiency, competition, contestability and competitive neutrality.
Deposit-taking institutions are regulated by APRA under a single licensing regime. The Banking Act 1959 gives APRA power to authorise and revoke authorities of authorised deposit-taking institutions (ADIs), to make prudential standards or issue enforceable directions, and to inspect ADIs. In addition, ADIs which are permitted to accept retail deposits are covered by the ‘depositor protection’ provisions of the Banking Act 1959. These provisions provide APRA with the power to act in the interests of depositors, including the power to appoint a statutory manager to an ADI in difficulty to take control of the institution.
The legislation covering life and general insurance companies in Australia provides for the protection of the interests of policyholders. APRA has power under the relevant legislation to authorise and revoke authorities of insurers, to make prudential standards or issue enforceable directions, and to inspect insurers. In the relevant legislation, preference is afforded for the policyholders of statutory funds of life companies and Australian creditors of general insurers over the assets of statutory funds, and assets in Australia of general insurers respectively. A general insurer in Australia is required to hold assets in Australia sufficient to cover the total amount of its liabilities in Australia. In addition, APRA may, in the case of life insurers, seek the appointment of a judicial manager for a troubled insurer.
Legislation provides APRA with various powers with respect to superannuation funds. These include the removal and appointment of trustees covering troubled superannuation funds. The Treasurer can, on public interest grounds, compensate members of a superannuation fund for losses due to fraudulent conduct or theft. The assistance can be funded either from Consolidated Revenue or by levying other superannuation funds. Again, however, members’ and policyholders’ entitlements are not guaranteed by either APRA or the Government.
APRA regulates the superannuation funds’ compliance with the prudential regulation and retirement income provisions of the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993, while ASIC has responsibility for the other provisions. The Australian Taxation Office has responsibility for the regulation of excluded funds (i.e. funds that have less than five members).
See http://www.apra.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx
THE FINANCIAL SERVICES COUNCIL
The Financial Services Council represents Australia’s retail and wholesale funds management businesses, superannuation funds, life insurers, financial advisory networks, trustee companies and public trustees. The Council has over 130 members who are responsible for investing more than $1.9 trillion on behalf of 11 million Australians.
See http://www.fsc.org.au
THE STOCKBROKERS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA
The Stockbrokers Association of Australia, formerly known as the SDIA, is the peak industry body representing institutional and retail broking firms and investment banks in Australasia. They actively engage their members, regulators and other market participants to further strengthen the broking profession. See http://www.stockbrokers.org.au
Their mandate includes
- Effectively represent the stockbroking industry on policy and issues with Government and regulatory agencies and customer-supplier – relationship issues with exchanges, clearing houses and other suppliers
- Provide professional recognition for industry practitioners
- Promote the stockbroking profession
- Provide professional education and training
- Facilitate to discuss and resolve industry-wide issues
- Ensuring members are better informed on issues likely to affect their business
- Collecting and publishing statistics on the industry
- identifying important issues and trends in the financial system, including those that may impinge upon overall financial stability;
- ensuring the existence of appropriate co-ordination arrangements for responding to actual or potential instances of financial instability, and helping to resolve any issues where members’ responsibilities overlap; and
- harmonising regulatory and reporting requirements, paying close attention to the need to keep regulatory costs to a minimum.
AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY SPECIFIC BODIES
The following are an example of industry specific bodies . I have used property as an example because of its proliferation in the regulated funds industry , the unregulated funds industry and in private equity. PROPERTY COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA The Property Council of Australia is the leading advocate for Australia’s $600 billion property industry. It counts the bulk of the nation’s major investors, property owners and developers – as well as the industry’s professional service and trade providers – amongst its members. The organisation is governed by a board comprising key leaders from the industry See http://www.propertyoz.com.au PROPERTY FUNDS AUSTRALIA The Property Funds Association (formerly ADPIA – Australian Direct Property Investment Association) was established to provide the growing number of direct property investors and managers an organisation to represent their interests, promote their industry and provide a forum for research and education. The association has grown and expanded its scope to also represent the advisors, consultants and representatives of property investors and managers. The Property Funds Association of Australia is the peak body representing the Australian unlisted wholesale and retail property funds sector. As the professional association for Australian Financial Services Licensed (AFSL) property fund managers, their advisors, consultants and representatives, we support and promote investment into unlisted property trusts, funds and syndicates, and assist members in developing and operating their businesses. See http://www.propertyfunds.org.au THE AUSTRALIAN PROPERTY INSTITUTE The Australian Property Institute represents approximately 8,600 property professionals throughout Australia and overseas. API members include residential, commercial and plant and machinery valuers, property advisers, property analysts and fund managers, property lawyers, and property researchers and academics. The Institute’s primary role is to set and maintain the highest standards of professional practice, education, ethics and professional conduct for its members and the broader property profession. See www.api.org.au/ Sean Rothsey About the author: Sean Rothsey has been a director of listed and unlisted private and public companies in Australia and NZ since 1981 and has been involved in the listing (IPO) or reverse listing (reverse takeover) and private placements of many companies in Australia , NZ South Africa and London. He is the immediate past chairman and long time director of ASX listed MDS Financial Group Ltd , whose subidiaries include an ASX Particpant (StockBroker) and a director of two of three subisdiaries each holding Australian Financial Services Licenses issued by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission.As a founding Deputy Chairman and director of NISER Ltd he has represented the National Stock Exchange , the Bendigo Exchange and the Taxi Exchange in regional Queensland. Also conversant with financial services regulations in Hong Kong , China Sean and his network have particularly knowledge of Funds Management structuring and compliance in the Bahamas, BVI and the Cayman Islands . The Merkin Group offer advisory and consultancy services in global business and asset management strategies including corporate governance,risk and compliance as well as facilitating outcomes through valued added solutions, introductions or capital.