Consulting and Advisory

ASIC has issued a new legislative instrument to continue regulatory relief for managed discretionary account (MDA) providers and external MDA custodians. ASIC has also updated its related regulatory guidance.

ASIC Corporations (Managed Discretionary Account Services) Instrument 2026/720 (ASIC Instrument 2026/720) replaces ASIC Corporations (Managed Discretionary Account Services) Instrument 2016/968 (ASIC Instrument 2016/968).

ASIC Instrument 2026/720 does not substantively change the terms of the relief for MDAs. Minor adjustments have been made to reflect related regulatory developments and evolving industry practice, including:

• moving some financial services guide (FSG) content requirements to into the investment program;
• amending the timeframe for notifying ASIC of non-compliance from 10 days to 30 days, along with changing the information required from full details of the non-compliance to its material details; and
• phasing out quarterly reporting with electronic access to account information to better reflect industry practice, giving investors timely access to their investment details.

ASIC undertook a streamlined consultation process on the proposed remake of the relief in CS 47 Proposed remake of relief for managed discretionary account services in April 2026. The submissions broadly supported the continuation of the MDA relief.

ASIC has also updated its guidance in Regulatory Guide 179 Managed discretionary accounts (RG 179) to reflect the new instrument and adjustments made.

The Reporting and audit update covers regulatory developments in reporting and audit, including sustainability and financial reporting matters.

ASIC has remade a legislative instrument which exempts low-volume financial markets from the requirement to hold an Australian market licence, raising the relevant transaction value threshold from $1.5 million to $2.5 million.

The increase in threshold reflects factors including inflation, with ASIC noting the threshold had not changed since 2016.

ASIC Corporations (Low Volume Financial Markets) Instrument 2026/756 (ASIC Instrument 2026/756) continues the relief provided under ASIC Corporations (Low Volume Financial Markets) Instrument 2016/888, with the new instrument scheduled to sunset on 1 October 2031.

ASIC consulted on remaking the instrument, CS 60 Proposed remake of low-volume financial markets instrument, in July and August 2026, and received three submissions.

All submissions supported in-principle the continuation of the relief, however, two submissions raised some concerns about the appropriate eligibility thresholds.

ASIC considers that the thresholds adopted in the instrument strike an appropriate balance between reducing compliance costs for operators of financial markets and managing regulatory risk.

ASIC has remade relief for eligible wholly-owned companies, ensuring they can continue to rely on existing financial reporting arrangements beyond 1 October 2026.

Today the independent Reserve Bank increased the cash rate by 25 basis points.

The war in the Middle East is pushing up inflation and interest rates all around the world but that doesn’t make it any easier for Australians.

Australian workers didn’t choose this war, but they are paying a hefty price for it.

The war has been a disaster for the global economy.

The market is pricing in multiple rate rises in every major advanced economy.

While today’s decision was widely expected and anticipated, that doesn’t make it any easier.

ASIC has remade six legislative instruments that provide relief around managed investment schemes. The instruments were expiring on 1 October 2026.

ASIC has remade three legislative instruments for a further five years, continuing relief that supports the efficient operation of Australia’s financial markets.

The instruments simplify compliance, support the Austraclear settlement system, and reduce regulatory burden.

The following legislative instruments, which were due to sunset in October 2026, are:

• ASIC Corporations (Dematerialised Securities: Austraclear) Instrument 2016/841
• ASIC Corporations (Disclosure of Directors’ Interests) Instrument 2016/881
• ASIC Corporations (Records: Dealings on Foreign Markets) Instrument 2016/889.

ASIC has approved an updated auditing competency standard for registered company auditors, placing greater emphasis on ethical behaviour.

The updated standard was jointly issued by CPA Australia (CPAA), Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ) and the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA).

It strengthens the recognition of ethical behaviour as a fundamental component of professional competence.

The standard takes effect from 1 October 2026 under the ASIC Corporations (Approval of Auditing Competency Standard) Instrument 2026/733.

The Final Budget Outcome shows the 2025–26 deficit is billions of dollars better than forecast in the Budget.

This multi‑billion‑dollar improvement has been delivered despite months of more severe global volatility.

The deficit in 2025–26 was $22.3 billion, which is $6 billion better than the $28.3 billion estimate in the 2026–27 Budget. It was $20.7 billion lower than the $42.9 billion forecast by our predecessors, which means the deficit is almost half what we inherited.

As a share of the economy, it was 0.8 per cent of GDP, exactly half the 1.6 per cent forecast by our predecessors and less than half the average deficit between the Global Financial Crisis and COVID‑19 pandemic.

Following an ASIC investigation, Mr Emre Tahsin Basar of Docklands, Victoria has been arrested and charged with eight (8) counts of dishonestly using his position as an employee to gain a financial advantage.

The Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) has varied ASIC’s decision to permanently ban Noel Northcott from providing financial services and carrying on a financial services business

ASIC has secured interim asset preservation and travel restraint orders against Star Investment Group Australia Pty Ltd (SIGA), Gondal Holdings Pty Ltd (Gondal) and the director of both entities, Ijaz Ahmad.