Adviser banned for 4 years over super switching advice
A financial adviser has been banned for four years after an ASIC investigation found advice they provided a client to change superannuation funds was inappropriate.
ASIC has banned financial adviser Mr Graeme Ashley Cowper of Oatley, NSW from providing financial services for four years after an investigation found he was not adequately trained or competent to provide financial services.
Between 2007 and 2015, Mr Cowper worked as a financial adviser at National Australia Bank, AON and Tynan Mackenzie while based in Sydney. He then transferred to Ipac Securities Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of AMP Limited, ASIC said in a public statement.
Mr Cowper was banned from providing financial services after ASIC’s Financial Services and Credit Panel found Mr Cowper had a fundamental lack of understanding of the duties and obligations imposed by the Corporations Act 2001 on providers of financial services.
It also found he gave advice to a number of clients over the period 2007 to 2013 that did not appear to be appropriate.
“In particular, the Panel found Mr Cowper recommended gearing strategies when the client could not afford it, and recommended clients switch to a new superannuation fund but did not give sufficient detail in the Statement of Advice (SOA) to enable the client to decide whether or not to proceed with the advice,” ASIC stated.
“[Mr Cowper also] recommended clients switch to a new superannuation fund without warning them in the SOA that the new fund was expensive compared to their old fund, or that it included insurance that did not cover the client’s pre-existing health condition which was covered in the current fund.”
Mr Cowper has the right to appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal for a review of ASIC's decision.
Miranda Brownlee
Miranda Brownlee is the deputy editor of SMSF Adviser, which is the leading source of news, strategy and educational content for professionals working in the SMSF sector.
Since joining the team in 2014, Miranda has been responsible for breaking some of the biggest superannuation stories in Australia, and has reported extensively on technical strategy and legislative updates.
Miranda also has broad business and financial services reporting experience, having written for titles including Investor Daily, ifa and Accountants Daily.
