by Dr. Andrew D. Schmulow

Competition and Consumer Law Journal, Vol. 24, no. 3, 2016.

This article provides a statement and an analysis of South Africa’s statutory provisions aimed at curbing reckless lending, and preventing predatory lending, to financial consumers. The focus of the article is on the statutory mechanisms for combatting reckless and predatory lending, including a critique of the success or otherwise of the implementation of the relevant legislation. The article aims to provide a comparative analysis of what is, overall, an innovative and effective regime, the aim of which is to protect vulnerable financial consumers from reckless and predatory lending practices. As such, it is hoped, that the article will provide useful techniques for the protection of borrowers in other common law jurisdictions, such as Australia, Canada and the United States, or indeed wherever vulnerable consumers of finance are liable to be exploited.

Also published in SSRN Journal.

by Dr. Andrew D. Schmulow, Dr. Karen Fairweather and Prof. John Tarrant

Law and Financial Markets Review, Vol. 12, no. 4, 2018, pp: 193-202.

In November 2017 the Federal government established a Royal Commission into Australia’s financial services industry that has become widely known as the Banking Royal Commission. The Commission has, during its hearings, and in its recent Interim Report, exposed serious misconduct and poor regulation in Australia’s financial services industry. The authors argue that the recommendation of the 2014 Financial System Inquiry that there be an Assessment Board to provide continuous oversight of the financial regulators, APRA and ASIC, is an effective solution to the regulatory failures exposed by the Banking Royal Commission. The benefits to Australia of the establishment of an Assessment Board are clear, and include enhanced accountability, improvements in the regulator’s culture, prevention of regulatory capture, and enhanced capacity to prevent financial crises. The introduction of an Assessment Board in Australia would serve as a timely and highly effective adjunct to the current Australian Twin Peaks financial regulatory architecture comprising APRA and ASIC.

Also published in SSRN Journal.

by Dr. Andrew D. Schmulow, Dr. Karen Fairweather and Prof. John Tarrant

Federal Law Review, Vol. 47, no. 1, 2019, pp: 91-120.

Consumer financial protection and the integrity of the Australian financial system are critical to the Australian economy in many ways, including the provision of an effective banking system, and the security of Australia’s significant superannuation savings. This is especially the case in an environment where financial products have become more complex and difficult for consumers to understand. In recent years there have been several scandals in Australia’s financial sector that have undermined confidence in the financial system, and exposed regulatory failure. The authors argue that there needs to be a more effective oversight of the key regulators in the Australian financial system to maintain confidence in the system, and prevent capture of the regulators by the financial services industry. The authors contend that the recommendation of the Financial System Inquiry for the establishment of an Assessment Board to provide continuous oversight of the financial regulators is an effective solution to the poor regulatory outcomes encountered in Australia in recent years. The consequences of not having such oversight are likely to be more financial scandals, and further instability in the financial system. These deficiencies must be addressed as a matter of urgency.

Also published in SSRN Journal.