A shame ASIC's report on life insurers not out in the open
ASIC needs to be more proactive and more willing to point the finger at wrongdoers in the financial services industry.
Comment & Analysis
Life insurance not so super as sector faces scrutiny
This week, the warring factions of the $2.3 trillion superannuation sector converged on Canberra to fight to keep the $6 billion business of selling life insurance products to super fund members.
The colour of money: investing in art is worth it
Australia's cultural treasures and Australia's sporting capacities cannot be separated from our financial and social future.
What's mining ever done for us? Just wait
A good chunk of Scott Morrison's budget problems could have vanished, just as they vanished for Peter Costello during mining boom at the start of the century.
Life insurance a lottery for sick and dying consumers
The industry has serious issues and some insurers are making cannon fodder out of customers when assessing claims.
The time has come for life insurers to get with the times
For decades the $44 billion life insurance industry has been allowed to operate like the Wild West.
The great funds management failure
Despite all those hours questioning the big four banks, the politicians still missed plenty.
Watkins never fails to add value at Coca-Cola
A valued client for a broker mate of CBD had what he called a value-add experience.
Gina counts the 365 million ways it pays to be Australian
For Gina Rinehart it certainly pays to be Australian - and a rich one with impeccable government connections.
Morrison seems to have a serious hearing disorder
Sight and hearing disorders are only a problem when the Treasurer is only hearing the parts of the RBA's advice that appeal to his ideological bent.
The other corporate donors cutting political spending
National Australia Bank isn't the only big corporate donor to quietly put the brakes on cash payments to political parties in recent months.
'Government by glacier': will Australia heed call for action to restore fairness and growth?
The world is facing up to the realities and challenges of a new era of economic malaise. But are Australian leaders really listening?
Dick Smith boss saw opportunities, when others saw issues
It felt surreal listening to Nick Abboud, the former head of collapsed retailer Dick Smith, at his final day testimony.
Money movers: How the RBA shifts interest rates
There is truth to the big four bank's claim that they face higher funding costs, but, as always, there's a catch.
First home buyer numbers don't add up
The ABS and NAB have different ideas about how many first home buyers there actually are.
Credit card point chasers more hopeless than previously thought
If the latest American Express PR campaign is anything to go by, more than a quarter of reward-points-chasing credit card users are even more hopeless with their money than previously thought.
What Australia can learn from the underdogs
Charlie has been leaping around since last Saturday shouting "a champion team will always beat a team of champions".
Why managers won't give staff feedback
Among the top reasons managers hesitate to give feedback to their employees, according to a study conducted by LeanIn.Org and McKinsey, is fear the employee may have an "emotional breakdown".
Where are the solutions to our problem banks?
Politicians haven't, and likely won't, extract meaningful concessions from the bank bosses.
Donald Trump still has the markets nervous
Don't be lulled by Hillary Clinton picking up a couple of points in the opinion polls overnight - Donald Trump remains a clear and present danger.
The unviable industry that taxpayers shouldn't be backing
Logging native forests must be a front in the culture wars, because it's not economic.
Bank hearing spun to the point of meaninglessness
The brutal reality was the hearing provided Narev with a perfect forum to frame the various scandals the way he wanted.
Presto closure a victory for Fairfax and Nine
The value of being first or second in an Australian market has been highlighted once again.
What should, and shouldn't, worry us about Deutsche Bank
What may happen, and what probably won't, starting with the scary - but in my view implausible - prospect that Deutsche Bank's woes could become a "Lehman moment".
Once again, scare stories about China are overblown
It's time for another China disaster story. The world seems to have a decided appetite for them.
CBA chief: Good with numbers, bad with scandals
This afternoon Ian Narev, the Commonwealth Bank's chief executive, finds himself caught in conflicting political cross hairs. It promises to be an exquisite inquisition.
Is rising oil a tide to lift all markets?
Saudi Arabia blinked to stop the bleeding so now investors have to weigh the impacts
It's not just Deutsche. European banking is utterly broken
Europe's banks are fast being enveloped by a perfect storm of negatives, and this time around, it is substantially the policymakers and law enforcers who are to blame.
If the economy's acting dumb, don't blame the econocrats
We'd be better governed if more of the people in ministers' offices came from the Treasury department.
Shadow selfie super funds face spotlight
The brutal reality is this is a sector with poor protections and limited transparency.
Executive Style
Nine Australian spirits that changed the way we drink
These are the drinks that revolutionised out secret history of distilling spirits.
Filler fail: Why do men get cosmetic surgery so wrong?
Growing older is inevitable, but trying to turn back the clock can do more harm than good.
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Small Business
The consequence of being a loyal employee
Loyalty can make leave you short-changed. Literally. This is how.
Does your office disclose everyone's pay?
Keeping pay an in-house secret is damaging organisation performance, argue researchers.
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