Dixon Advisory update – July 2024
Dixon Advisory & Superannuation Services Pty Ltd (Subject to Deed of Company arrangement) was expelled from the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) on 30 June 2024.
AFCA cannot accept any new complaints about Dixon Advisory. This is because AFCA can only accept complaints about firms that are current members of the AFCA scheme.
The expulsion of Dixon Advisory does not prevent AFCA from considering and finalising complaints received on or before 29 June 2024.
Work is well under way, but it will take time to get through the large number of Dixon complaints. We thank people for their patience. It is important that this work is conducted with the usual rigour that’s required.
Details of administrators
When a firm is in an insolvency process it is important that any communications or queries about the process are directed to those now responsible for the firm.
The administrators for Dixon Advisory are Stephen Longley and Craig Crosbie of PwC Partners.
They can be contacted at:
On 26 August 2024 the administrators for Dixon Advisory and Superannuation Services Pty Ltd (Subject to Deed of Company arrangement) issued a Notice of Intention to Declare a Dividend to former clients of Dixon Advisory who they consider are creditors under the Deed of Company Arrangement. If you have any questions regarding the communication from the administrators of Dixon Advisory, please contact them at au_dass_queries@pwc.com.
This activity is separate to AFCA’s focus of investigating and resolving open Dixon complaints. The action of declaring and distributing a dividend will not impact AFCA’s consideration of open complaints. However, if AFCA determines that there was inappropriate personal finance product advice by a former advisor of Dixon which resulted in loss to the consumer, the award of any compensation will consider any distribution received from the administration.
Complaints received
As at 30 June 2024, AFCA has registered 2,773 complaints against Dixon Advisory since AFCA’s inception at 1 November 2018.
Paused complaints are under investigation
In January 2022, AFCA was advised that Dixon Advisory had been placed into Voluntary Administration. As a result, AFCA paused progress of all complaints against Dixon Advisory, pending the establishment of the Compensation Scheme of Last Resort on 2 April 2024.
AFCA is currently investigating these complaints and is assessing if they may be eligible to raise a CSLR claim. Whether or not a former client of Dixon Advisory is eligible to raise a claim for compensation will depend on the individual circumstances of the advice they were given, the scope of the CSLR as set out in the legislation, as well as AFCA’s jurisdiction to consider the complaint.
If a complaint falls within AFCA’s jurisdiction and is otherwise likely to be eligible for compensation under the CSLR, AFCA will consider the complaint further. If the complaint is not eligible, AFCA will contact the consumer to explain why AFCA cannot continue to consider the complaint. This process will take time due to the large number of Dixon Advisory complaints lodged with AFCA.
What can I do to prepare for my complaint to be investigated?
To ensure our case workers can efficiently deal with your complaint, you can start gathering relevant information in preparation for our contact. Information we typically request includes:
- SMSF Trust Deed and investment strategy
- Correspondence (including emails, letters, etc) received from Dixon Advisory in relation to investment recommendations
- Statements of Advice, Records of Advice and any other advice documents provided by Dixon Advisory, such as copies of Fact Finds and Risk Profile if you have one
- SMSF financial statements available from when you became a client of Dixon’s, to date
- A copy of your SMSF portfolio holdings as at 30 June 2023 (if applicable)
- Cash management account statement from 1 July 2022 if SMSF financial statements for the 2022-23 financial year are not available, and
- Other information about your SMSF, including ABN numbers.
We are working through a significant number of paused complaints. It will take time for us to contact you, as we work through each complaint with the care and rigour that is required. Having this information ready for when we contact you will assist us in reviewing complaints as quickly as we can.
There is no need to contact us, we will be in touch when your case is allocated for investigation.
Background and past updates
Dixon Advisory membership update – 25 June 2024
The Board of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority Ltd (AFCA) issued a notice of expulsion on Friday 21 June 2024 to the administrators of Dixon Advisory & Superannuation Services Pty Ltd (Subject to Deed of Company Arrangement).
The expulsion from membership of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority will take effect on and from 30 June 2024.
Dixon Advisory membership update - 28 May 2024
The Board of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority Ltd (AFCA) has advised the administrators of Dixon Advisory & Superannuation Services Pty Ltd (Subject to Deed of Company Arrangement) that it intends to expel Dixon Advisory from membership of the AFCA external dispute resolution scheme.
The administrators have 21 days to make any submissions regarding the notice of expulsion.
Pending board consideration of any submissions, the expectation is that the expulsion would take effect on and from 30 June 2024.
The decision to give notice of expulsion was made by the AFCA Board at the first board meeting to follow the end of Dixon’s mandatory membership of the AFCA scheme.
In cancelling Dixon Advisory’s Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) in April 2023, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) had required it to remain an AFCA scheme member until at least 8 April 2024. That requirement has now expired.
Under AFCA’s Constitution, proposed membership expulsions must go before the AFCA Board for consideration and decision.
The AFCA Board will consider any submissions made by Dixon Advisory at its next board meeting on 20 June 2024, before making its final decision.
AFCA can only accept complaints about firms that are current members of the AFCA scheme. Once an AFCA member is expelled, AFCA cannot accept any new complaints against that former member, however the expulsion of a member does not prevent AFCA from considering and finalising complaints received prior to the member being expelled.
Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) announcements
- ASIC cancelled the Australian Financial Services Licence held by Dixon Advisory and Superannuation Services Pty Ltd (Subject to Deed of Company Arrangement), effective 5 April 2023.The terms of the cancellation required Dixon Advisory to maintain membership of AFCA until at least 8 April 2024.
- ASIC also announced that it would be writing to former clients of Dixon Advisory to inform them that if they believe they have suffered loss as a result of the misconduct of Dixon Advisory and/or their former Dixon Advisory financial adviser in providing financial advice, they should make a complaint to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA).
- ASIC suspended the Australian Financial Services licence of Dixon Advisory with conditions including the maintenance of AFCA membership (see 22-094MR).
- On 4 September 2020 ASIC commenced civil penalty proceedings against Dixon Advisory for alleged conflicts, best interest failures and inappropriate advice (see 20-207MR and 21-167MR).
Details of administrators
On 19 January 2022 E&P Financial Group Limited made an ASX announcement about the appointment of the Administrators to Dixon.
When a firm enters an insolvency process it is important that any communications or queries about the process are directed to those now responsible for the firm.
In the case of Dixon this is currently the administrators, Stephen Longley and Craig Crosbie of PwC Partners. Their contact details are:
Class actions
AFCA understands that the current class actions against Dixon is now subject to a court-approved settlement. AFCA has reviewed the settlement terms and does not consider that the settlement would, in and of itself, require AFCA to exclude a complaint against Dixon by a class action member.
More information
- AFCA’s factsheet which provides information for people with complaints about insolvent firms.
- Information about AFCA’s approach to complaints that may be impacted by the Compensation Scheme of Last Resort
- Announcement from Dixon’s parent company, E&P Financial Group
- PwC's Insolvency Cases page
