Long wait for justice is not over

The final report of the banking royal commission may have been handed down, but justice remains elusive and an election will stall reform.

Scott Morrison with Malcolm Turnbull royal commission announcement.

Scott Morrison and then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull reluctantly called the royal commission. (AAP)

Victims of dodgy practices by the financial sector have been waiting a long time for justice and recompense.

But their wait is not over, despite the royal commission's final report being released on Monday.

Despite commissioner Kenneth Hayne's 76 recommendations being embraced by the government and Labor, only three are likely to be dealt with before an expected May election.

The three immediate actions will be to amend laws already before the parliament to make superannuation trustees liable for rule breaches, allowing the Australian Financial Complaints Authority to award compensation for successful claims going back 10 years and a review of the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority.

The new parliament is unlikely to sit until July or August, meaning any further steps are many months away.

Hayne's final report referred more than 20 cases to APRA and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.

But there were no immediate referrals of individuals to prosecutors.

We are still some time away from those watchdog referrals to be turned into dodgy bankers facing a judge or jury.

In fact, APRA and ASIC have been known to flog wrong-doers with media releases, rather than seek penalties or jail terms - something they were taken to task for by the royal commission.

The report was scathing of banks taking fees for no service.

Yet bank executives largely got off scot-free.

Hayne said most of the CEOs had learned from the evidence given to his year-long inquiry.

However, he said some remain unwilling to "recognise, and to accept responsibility for, poor conduct of the kinds examined in this inquiry".

There is little political upside in this for the government.

Then treasurer and now prime minister Scott Morrison described a banking royal commission as "crass populism" when asked about Labor's proposal in early 2016.

Heading into an election, coalition candidates will be left to argue the government is getting on with cleaning up the worst aspects of the industry.

But Labor candidates will counter-argue the government has taken too long to act and its heart is not in it, having been dragged kicking and screaming into action.

If the polls are to be believed, voters will be opting for a new broom to deal with the mess.

But bank victims will continue to wait for justice.


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Source: AAP



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