Upcoming webinar

Suspicious Matter Reporting (SMR) Reforms & Suspicious Activity Indicators for Item 54 Financial Advice Providers

Wednesday 3 June 2026

12:00pm – 1:00pm AEST

Up to 1 CPD hour available 

Register now

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Session Overview

Following AUSTRAC’s recent supervisory campaign highlighting alarmingly low SMR reporting across wealth management, join this member‑exclusive webinar to hear directly from AUSTRAC. Learn what the reformed suspicious matter reporting requirements mean for financial advice practices that provide only item 54 designated services, and how to recognise behaviours that may indicate ML/TF risk. AUSTRAC will share practical insights from current regulatory observations, common ‘blind spots’ seen in the sector, and how advisers can lodge timely, high‑quality SMRs without tipping off clients. Leave with clearer thresholds for ‘reasonable grounds’, and an updated checklist of indicators to strengthen your controls and protect your clients and business.

Meet your speakers

David Hawkins

Director of Foreign Banks and Financial Services

David Hawkins has been a Director in the Regulatory Operations Branch at AUSTRAC since 2023. He has oversight of AUSTRAC’s supervision activities for a wide range of businesses in the banking, payment platforms and financial services sectors. David was seconded to the ATO-led Serious Financial Crime Taskforce from 2021 to 2023 where he was the coordinator for domestic and international operational work. Prior to this role, he worked in a range of leadership positions in AUSTRAC’s Intelligence Division, as well as roles in policy and international engagement. Earlier in his career, David worked at the University of Sydney as well as various roles in the banking sector.

Phil Anderson

General Manager, Policy Advocacy & Standards, FAAA

Phil Anderson is the General Manager Policy, Advocacy & Standards of the Financial Advice Association Australia (FAAA). Phil had spent over 10 years at the Association of Financial Advisers (AFA), including most recently as CEO before the successful vote to merge with the Financial Planning Association (FPA).

He has previously worked for Netwealth as General Manager Governance and Advice, and Colonial First State, where he was the Head of Risk Management & Compliance for the CFS Advice business. Phil has been in the financial services industry for over 25 years, having also worked with AMP, MLC and Perpetual.

Phil has been responsible for policy, including the Quality of Advice Review, and the implementation of the requirements of the Professional Standards legislation and the Royal Commission Recommendations. Phil has previously been integrally involved in the FoFA, TASA, Education/Professional Standards and the Life Insurance Framework debates including driving the development of submissions to FASEA, Treasury, ASIC, the Tax Practitioners Board and Parliamentary Committees. Phil is a CPA and has a Bachelor and Masters of Commerce along with the DFP and ADFP.