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Pat McConnell

Honorary Fellow, Macquarie University Applied Finance Centre, Macquarie University

After over 30 years working for, and consulting to, major banking and insurance companies in the US, Europe and Australia, Pat transferred to teaching courses in Risk Management at Masters level and to industry. His main areas of research are in Operational Risk (People, Systems, Process and Legal risks) and banking regulation and he has published widely on this topic, including a new book on People Risk Management http://www.koganpage.com/product/people-risk-management-9780749471354 .

Time to toss one of the Four Pillars out of the nest?

Nov 04, 2016 03:50 am UTC| Insights & Views Business

This week, ANZ, the latest (and now the last) of the Big 4 Australian banks to have ventured far away from the nest, confirmed that it was coming home into the arms of the Bank of Mum and Dad (also known as the Australian...

Blockchain Revolution Series

Blockchain: reinventing the squeaky wheel

Oct 25, 2016 18:13 pm UTC| Insights & Views Fintech

Apparently, the world is holding its breath on the unloading of a few bales of cotton, which could change trade forever. In Qingdao sometime in early November, 88 bales of cotton will be unloaded and ownership of the...

Big four bank chiefs face parliamentary committee: experts react

Oct 04, 2016 08:39 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

The chief executives of Australias big four banks are this week being called before a House of Representatives economics committee. We asked a panel of experts what questions the committee should be asking. Deborah...

Banking excuses wearing a bit thin

May 20, 2016 09:59 am UTC| Insights & Views

Brain Hartzer, the CEO of Westpac, gave an excuse to the media when asked about allegations that Westpac traders deliberately manipulated the important Bank Bill Swap Rate (BBSW) benchmark, saying that it was a heavy...

Banks – Just what do they get paid for?

May 09, 2016 06:14 am UTC| Insights & Views Business

Just last month, the US Department of Justice (DOJ), fined Goldman Sachs over AU$6.7 billion and Wells Fargo over AU$1.6 billion for improper mortgage lending practices specifically securitising and selling Residential...

Government backflip on ASIC could be too little too late

Apr 21, 2016 06:31 am UTC| Insights & Views Law

In announcing new money for the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, the Treasurer and the Minister responsible Kelly ODwyer executed a synchronised back flip with tuck, declaring that The broad reform...

BBSW – Too Dumb to Understand?

Apr 07, 2016 06:37 am UTC| Insights & Views Law

The reactions of ANZ and Westpac management to recent legal actions by ASIC alleging manipulation of the BBSW benchmark are instructive of the attitudes of the major banks. ANZ wheeled out its Chief Risk Officer to...

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Economy

New Zealand Unemployment and Inflation Debate Intensifies Ahead of 2026 Election

New Zealands economic outlook has become increasingly complicated as rising inflation and elevated unemployment place the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) under growing pressure ahead of the closely contested 2026...

Asian Stocks Slide, Oil Prices Climb as Middle East Tensions and Inflation Fears Shake Markets in 2026

Asian stock markets declined on Wednesday while oil prices advanced as escalating tensions in the Middle East fueled investor concerns and weakened confidence across global financial markets. The renewed conflict has...

Japan Producer Prices Surge in May, Strengthening Expectations of BOJ Rate Hike

Japans producer prices increased more than expected in May, highlighting ongoing inflationary pressures driven by rising energy and raw material import costs. Fresh data released by the Bank of Japan (BOJ) showed that the...

US Stock Futures Slip as New Iran Strikes Weigh on Market Sentiment Ahead of Inflation Data

U.S. stock index futures moved lower on Tuesday evening as renewed military action involving Iran dampened investor confidence and raised fresh concerns about geopolitical stability. Market participants are also closely...

BOJ Rate Hike Expectations Rise as Weak Yen and Strong U.S. Jobs Data Increase Pressure

The Bank of Japan (BOJ) is facing growing pressure to accelerate interest rate hikes as the Japanese yen remains weak and expectations increase for a more hawkish U.S. Federal Reserve policy. Strong U.S. labor market data...

Politics

Randy Villegas Advances to Face David Valadao in Key California Congressional Race

Democratic challenger Randy Villegas, an educator and community advocate, is projected to advance to the November general election following Californias open primary election held on Tuesday. According to U.S. media...

US Voters Prioritize Party Loyalty Over Candidate Controversies, Reuters/Ipsos Poll Finds

A new Reuters/Ipsos poll suggests that most American voters are unlikely to abandon their preferred political partys candidate, even when serious controversies surround them. The findings highlight the growing political...

Trump Nears Decision on Permanent U.S. Intelligence Chief as FISA Renewal Faces Senate Resistance

President Donald Trump is reportedly close to selecting a permanent Director of National Intelligence (DNI), according to U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, as lawmakers debate the future of a key U.S. surveillance law set...

Steve Hilton and Xavier Becerra Advance to California Governor Election After Primary Results

Republican political commentator Steve Hilton and Democrat Xavier Becerra have officially advanced to Californias November 3, 2026, gubernatorial election after emerging as the top two candidates in the states June 2 open...

LePage Wins GOP Nomination in Key Maine House Race Ahead of 2026 Election

Former Maine Governor Paul LePage has secured the Republican nomination for Maines 2nd Congressional District, setting the stage for a closely watched showdown in the 2026 U.S. House election. The race is expected to draw...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

Technology

SpaceX IPO Demand Surges Past $250 Billion Ahead of Historic Market Debut

SpaceX, the aerospace company founded by Elon Musk, is attracting unprecedented investor interest ahead of what could become the largest initial public offering (IPO) in history. According to a Reuters report, investor...

Trump Administration Defends Anthropic AI Restrictions in Ongoing Federal Lawsuit

The Trump administration has defended its decision to restrict the use of Anthropics artificial intelligence products, arguing in a new court filing that the federal government acted lawfully after the AI company resisted...

OpenAI Files Confidential IPO Draft as AI Giants Race Toward Public Markets

OpenAI has confidentially submitted a draft S-1 registration statement to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), taking a major step toward a potential initial public offering (IPO). The move positions the...

Apple Unveils Enhanced Apple Intelligence and Next-Generation Siri at WWDC 2026

Apple has introduced the latest version of its Apple Intelligence platform at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2026, signaling a stronger push into the rapidly evolving artificial intelligence market. The...

Qualcomm Stock Gains After Jensen Huang Endorsement

Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM) shares moved higher in after-hours trading on Monday, rising approximately 2% after NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang publicly praised the semiconductor company and encouraged investors to...