Hi There

Hump day again! Here are some ideas to make your Wednesday more useful and less drudge. 

Regards

Sarah

PS: Yes, we are doing a bit of an update to the SSFPP format. Love it/hate it? Let me know :)

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK 

When did “best practice” become the goal?

How often do decisions get justified because they follow “best practice”, rather than because they make sense for your customers, risk profile and operating model?

What’s labelled best practice is usually just a snapshot of someone else’s context, frozen in time and copied forward. Regulators don’t ask whether you followed a template. They ask whether your decisions were reasonable, evidence-based and appropriate for the outcomes your product delivers.

That requires judgement, not conformity. If you’re questioning whether your product and governance approach genuinely fits your business, we’re always happy to compare notes. Way more more useful than another checklist.

LATEST NEWS & VIEWS 

Key issues outlook 2026 - ASIC

Here's a quick summary of the relevant ones for busy SSFPP readers:

• Increased retail exposure to private credit and private market products that are less transparent and potentially mis-sold.

   

• Operational failures by superannuation trustees (claims delays, poor IT/cyber resilience, fraud risk, bad member service).

   

• Consumers losing retirement savings via high-risk products pushed through aggressive marketing and unsuitable advice.

   

• Advanced technology risks (including AI decisions/scams) harming consumers.

   

• Cyber-attacks, data breaches and weak operational resilience, shaking market confidence.

   

• Regulatory gaps around emerging participants (digital assets, fintech, unregulated services). 

AI, operational failures key regulatory risks for ASIC in 2026 - Financial Standard

'No benefit in switching super': AFCA finalises FSGA lead decision - Financial Standard

ASIC flags super risks as retirement wave approaches - Super Review

Why the $3m super tax should see advisers given ATO portal access - SMSF Adviser

‘Cookie-cutter’ advice among ASIC key issues amid Shield, First Guardian fallout - IFA

One size doesn't fit all - Financial Standard Super

WORTH YOUR TIME

ThatSuper.Show 

This week's episode of That Super Show, we debate the CSLR funding question and examine the governance risks of managed investment schemes used by APRA-regulated funds. We also get into super fund advertising, administrator consolidation and why claims delays require ecosystem-level solutions rather than individual blame.

Events we are running/speaking at:

PDS MANAGERS ROUNDTABLE

Our Mayflower PDS Managers roundtable will dive into the world of greenwashing, with insights from Emily Turnbull, Jillian Button and Julia Clemente of Allens. They’ll unpack recent greenwashing actions and trends, explore how greenwashing intersects with the duties of REs and RSE licensees and share practical tips to help you manage and reduce greenwashing risks. Register here.

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