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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 .

Banking outlook: threats from technology, burst of housing bubble, end of mining boom

Mar 13, 2016 21:12 pm UTC| Insights & Views Business

Its reporting season, and over the past few weeks some of Australias biggest companies have been releasing information on how theyre travelling. These reports reflect key themes of how things are going in key sectors of...

CommInsure – You pays your money and you takes your chance

Mar 11, 2016 05:22 am UTC| Law

In the scandal over possible misconduct by CommInsure, the insurance arm of CommBank, for its treatment of sick and dying customers, much has been made about how serious illnesses are diagnosed. In one example in a...

CommInsure case shows it's time to target reckless misconduct in banking

Mar 07, 2016 22:50 pm UTC| Insights & Views Law

Behind this weeks expose by Fairfax Media journalist Adele Ferguson and the ABCs Four Corners program of the insurance claims refused by Commonwealth Bank insurance arm, CommInsure, lies a bigger problem in the way the...

National Australia Bank – 30 years of strategy failure

Feb 23, 2016 00:57 am UTC| Insights & Views Central Banks

In its first quarter results this month, the National Australia Bank (NAB), breathed a sigh of relief announcing that the separation of Clydesdale had been successful with an expected loss of approximately A$4.2 billion....

Masters – A failure of corporate governance?

Jan 24, 2016 23:28 pm UTC| Insights & Views

This week, Masters has on offer a white and gold rococo style mirror. If Woolworths Chairman, Gordon Cairns, were to nip down to his local Masters warehouse (no need to rush, plenty of parking available) he could, with his...

Bunnings – A Game of Clones

Jan 19, 2016 02:02 am UTC| Insights & Views

Just a day after Woolworths limped from the Do-It-Yourself battlefield, the Wesfarmers dynasty (owners of Bunnings) announced their plans to invade the United Kingdom. For Woolies, its foray into Masters was a...

Blockchain – A Regulatory Unicorn?

Jan 02, 2016 02:44 am UTC| Insights & Views Technology

Never one to let a bandwagon pass by, Greg Medcraft, the Chairman of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), has enthusiastically hopped onto the Blockchain wagon. Mr Medcraft has seen the light and...

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Economy

Asian Currencies Steady Ahead of US CPI as Oil Prices Rise

Asian currencies were mostly unchanged against the U.S. dollar on Wednesday as investors awaited key U.S. inflation data that could shape expectations for the Federal Reserves next interest-rate decision. Meanwhile, rising...

Canada, US Hold Fresh Trade Talks as August 19 Tariff Deadline Nears

Canada and the United States held another round of high-level trade talks on Tuesday as Ottawa seeks to prevent new U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods from taking effect on August 19. Dominic LeBlanc, Canadas minister...

Australia Sets New Minimum Pay, Insurance Rules for Gig Workers

Australias Fair Work Commission (FWC) has approved new minimum standards for food and grocery delivery workers, giving gig economy workers higher pay and greater protection against workplace injuries. Under the new rules,...

Gold Price Holds Near $4,400 as Hormuz Risks and CPI Drive Markets

Gold prices climbed on Wednesday, remaining close to the $4,400-an-ounce mark as uncertainty surrounding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz boosted oil prices and kept investors focused on the Federal Reserves...

Oil Prices Rise as Hormuz Tensions Threaten Global Supply

Oil prices climbed on Wednesday, approaching a two-week high as uncertainty over the Strait of Hormuz and fresh attacks on shipping raised concerns about prolonged disruptions to global crude supplies. Brent crude oil...

Politics

Peggy Flanagan Wins Minnesota Democratic Senate Nomination

Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan has secured the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate, setting up a closely watched general election contest against Republican nominee Michele Tafoya. U.S. media outlets...

U.S. Military Operations Killed 153 Civilians in 2025, Pentagon Says

U.S. military operations killed 153 civilians and wounded another 243 in 2025, according to Pentagon assessments cited by a U.S. official, marking a sharp increase from the civilian casualty figures reported for 2024. The...

Bashar al-Assad Sentenced to Death After Syria Regime Collapse

Bashar al-Assads 24-year rule over Syria ended dramatically in December 2024 after rebel forces launched a rapid offensive that overwhelmed his weakened military. With Russia focused on its war in Ukraine and Iran weakened...

Trump Signs Order to Cut Routine Childhood Vaccines

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order seeking to reduce the number of routine childhood vaccinations recommended in the United States and directing the Justice Department to challenge certain state vaccine...

Wisconsin Democratic Primary Tests Progressive Appeal

Democratic socialist Francesca Hong and moderate David Crowley remained locked in a tight race Tuesday in Wisconsins closely watched Democratic gubernatorial primary, offering an important test of progressive candidates...

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

OpenAI Executive Brad Lightcap to Leave for New AI Venture

Brad Lightcap, one of OpenAIs most senior executives and its former chief operating officer, is leaving the artificial intelligence company to launch a new venture, adding to a series of major leadership changes across the...

Anthropic Signs $9.1B AI Data Center Deal With Riot Platforms

Anthropic has reportedly signed a $9.1 billion long-term agreement with Riot Platforms (NASDAQ: RIOT) to secure large-scale AI computing capacity, marking another major investment by the Claude developer as demand for...

Trump Media Says Truth API Draws 10+ Customers as Conflict Concerns Grow

Trump Media Technology Group said Monday that more than 10 customers have signed up for its upcoming Truth API, a real-time data service designed to provide rapid access to posts from prominent Truth Social accounts,...

Nvidia Secures $500 Billion AI Infrastructure Push With Wall Street Giants

Nvidia is expanding its influence beyond semiconductors after announcing agreements aimed at mobilizing up to $500 billion in third-party capital for artificial intelligence infrastructure. The move brings the AI chip...

SEC Clears Path for Data Center Securitizations as AI Financing Demand Surges

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has provided regulatory clarification that could make it easier for data center owners and operators to access capital markets as the artificial intelligence boom drives...