• Five priorities for enhancing risk culture in a COVID-19 world
• Economic and Fiscal Outlook Highlights: 2020-21
• What you need to know about the JobKeeper Announcement
• COVID-19: Re-named and expanded National COVID-19 Commission to focus on providing advice on jobs creation to promote rapid economic recovery
• COVID-19: Good idea, but should be government funded: The Governance Institute has called for the costs of paid pandemic leave to be borne by government not by business
• In Brief | COVID-19: The ABA has welcomed 'green shoots': The provision of $2.2 billion in loans to SMEs last month, and the fact that some businesses are starting to resume repayments,  is a sign that the economy is starting to pick up, and is evidence of the role banks continue to play in supporting businesses through the crisis says the ABA

• A chance to reset the UK's approach to diversity? The Colour of Power 2020 index makes four recommendations to spur genuine change
• Progress on pay (but not so much on representation)?  Equilar's ten year analysis has identified that gender pay parity is getting closer (and in some cases has been achieved) for the very few women in senior roles at the largest US companies

• EY research finds that ESG disclosure has never been more important to institutional investors
• In Brief | Former BlackRock executive Justin Arter has been appointed to the CEO position at Cbus.  Mr Arter is expected to take up his role from 'late August' 2020

• COVID-10: The Australian Shareholders' Association has issued guidance to help shareholders unfamiliar with attending virtual/hybrid AGMs to optimise their experience
• US companies to get more say (if not so much as originally proposed): SEC has finalised changes to proxy voting advice rules
  
   

• 'Minor amendments' to fees and costs disclosure for issuers of superannuation and managed investment products: ASIC has updated RG 97

• RBNZ governance and accountability reform Bill introduced
• In Brief | FRC appointments announced: The FRC has appointed Mark Babington to the role of Executive Director of Regulatory Standards and Alex Kuczynski to the role of Executive Director, Corporate Services and General Counsel

• Responsible lending: ASIC has confirmed that it will not appeal the Wagyu and Shiraz decision, consumer groups have called for responsible lending laws to be tightened
• COVID-19: APRA’s role in 'managing the current crisis': APRA Chair Wayne Byres has outlined the regulator's flexible and facilitative approach
• COVID-19: Updated guidance on capital management: APRA urges insurers and banks to maintain caution
• COVID-19: The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman has launched an inquiry into insurance affordability and availability
• COVID-19: The FSC has announced the extension of temporary COVID-19 life insurance measures to 1 January 2021
• COVID-19: Assistant Minister Jane Hume has acknowledged efforts by insurers to support customers during the pandemic and flagged some of the flow-on impacts for insurers
• COVID-19: The application period for the early access to superannuation scheme has been extended by three months, ASFA has raised concerns about the potential implications
• COVID-19: So far funds have paid out $28bn under the government's early release of superannuation scheme
• Focus on improving member outcomes: APRA has issued a 'timely reminder' to RSE Licensees about upcoming deadlines to complete their BPR and outcomes assessment
• In Brief | APRA has released new frequently asked questions on superannuation Pandemic Data Collection requirements
• In Brief | APRA has released The Private Health Insurance Annual Coverage Survey report which provides statistics as at December 2019, on the number of people with hospital insurance. Overall, the proportion of people across the nation with hospital coverage had fallen from 44.7% in 2018 to 44.0% in December 2019, younger age groups had the sharpest decreases in coverage
• In Brief | Leadership changes announced at Westpac: Westpac has appointed Bank of Montreal Chief Operating and Information Officer Scott Collary to the role of COO. Mr Collary will take up his post (subject to regulatory approvals) later in the year. Westpac also announced the departure of Group Executive Gary Thursby who will leave the bank early next year
• In Brief | ASIC has confirmed that the new ASIC Regulatory Portal has replaced other channels as the primary means of submitting applications for relief and various fundraising and corporate finance documents
• In Brief | Supporting customers in financial hardship: NAB has announced that it will no longer deal with unlicensed, fee-charging debt management providers but instead work directly with customers to find a solution or refer them to professional, free and independent services
• In Brief | The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has launched a mobile app designed to promote green technologies and to accelerate the delivery of green finance

• The FRC is consulting on proposed amendments to certain accounting standards

Disclosure

• Misleading climate-related disclosure: are your verification and disclosure processes defensible?
• Considering permanent reforms to existing continuous disclosure laws is not the same as advocating for the 'watering down' of director accountability says AICD CEO Angus Armour

Other developments

• The ACCC has launched proceedings in the Federal Court against Google, over allegedly misleading consumers about the scope of personal information being collected and the way the information would be used
• In Brief | Consultation on proposed economic crime levy: The UK Treasury is consulting on the proposed design, scope and operation of a new levy which would fund government actions to address money laundering, and also help deliver planned reforms under the 2019 Economic Crime Plan.  The deadline for submissions is 14 October 2020

• The government is calling for further submissions ahead of the 2020-21 Federal budget