The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) is the centrepiece of Australia’s system of corporate and financial regulation. When corporate misconduct occurs, Australians expect that ASIC will investigate promptly, take appropriate enforcement action and deter future breaches of the law. Evidence to this inquiry has made clear the deep flaws in ASIC’s approach to investigation...

The purpose of the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct is to address harmful practices in the grocery industry stemming from an imbalance of bargaining power between supermarkets and their suppliers. This final report makes 11 recommendations for improving the code, including making it mandatory.

There has been a lot of consternation in recent years about the Commonwealth government's engagement of private consultancy services. A key recommendation stemming from this inquiry is for the Australian Parliament to legislate to establish a Joint Standing Committee to review and approve consultancy and services contracts, with provisions and thresholds similar to those in...

Environment, Social, Governance (ESG) is gaining renewed prominence, with regulatory requirements fast-tracking ESG reporting, particularly in Australia. This report advocates for the prioritisation of engagement in contributing to and enhancing the integrity of ESG frameworks and reporting to increase trust in democratic practices and rebuild trust in government.

The purpose of this consultation paper is to seek stakeholder feedback and views on issues for government consideration in relation to the regulation of accounting, auditing and consulting firms in Australia.