Alan Kirkland

“I wish I could say this is an isolated example,” Kirkland said, explaining the regulator’s concern about a small cohort of advisers who transfer client funds into high-risk investments after being referred by cold-calling telemarketers.

On the whole, product providers like fund managers have “made progress” with their adherence to target market determination rules. But ASIC warns that when third party distributors come into play, compliance standards begin to slip.