Our latest insights

In October, APRA Executive Board Member Suzanne Smith delivered a speech at the ICA Conference 2025. In her speech, Suzanne Smith urged the insurance industry to embrace resilience, innovation, and leadership as core pillars to future proof the industry, at a time of heightened scrutiny around operational resilience, consumer trust, and the evolving risk landscape driven by climate change and artificial intelligence.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has announced a significant rework of the Federal Government’s stalled superannuation tax increase proposal following widespread review from industry and stakeholders.

The Treasury Laws Amendment (Payday Superannuation) Bill 2025 has now been introduced into the House of Representatives, with very little change to the original draft released for consultation

On 24 September 2025, the ATO released PCG 2025/3 (‘the PCG’), setting out its compliance approach to arrangements where capital is raised to fund franked distributions. This was after their consultation on the draft PCG.

Recent data from the Class Annual Benchmark Report 2025 reveals a powerful trend, which has seen Australians – especially younger generations – increasingly turning to Self-Managed Superannuation Funds (SMSFs) to take control of their financial futures.

From 2026, Victoria’s VRLT will apply to long-term undeveloped land in metro Melbourne, targeting land banking and encouraging residential development. The expansion follows 2025 reforms aimed at improving housing affordability and supply.

The Superannuation Legislation Amendment (Tackling the Gender Super Gap) Bill 2025 presents the opportunity to evenly split superannuation balances amongst spouses.

The final amendments to the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) Rules, published on 30 August 2025, introduce a series of structural and operational changes following extensive consultation by AUSTRAC and industry feedback.

The Federal Court’s 2025 decision in Charles Apartments Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation underscores the importance of substance over form, proper documentation, and income nexus in group financing arrangements under Australian tax law.

US tariffs 2025: Impact on Australian exports, trade strategy & customs review insights.

Mandatory sustainability reporting under AASB S2 will apply to Australian property and corporate entities meeting size thresholds from 2025, requiring disclosure of climate-related risks, emissions, and transition strategies. Early preparation is essential for compliance and to create long-term value.

The High Court of Australia has dismissed the Tax Commissioner’s (“the Commissioner”) appeals in FCT v PepsiCo, Inc [2025] HCA 30 (“PepsiCo”), ruling that payments made by Schweppes Australia to PepsiCo’s Australian subsidiary for concentrate did not constitute royalties, and that PepsiCo and Stokely‑Van Camp were not liable for royalty withholding tax or diverted profits tax for the 2018 and 2019 income years.