ASIC today released the findings of the ASIC stakeholder survey 2013.

The survey measured stakeholders’ perceptions of the environment in which ASIC operates and ASIC’s performance against its three strategic priorities:

• confident and informed investors and financial consumers

• fair and efficient markets, and

• efficient registration and licensing.

Overall, stakeholders were positive about ASIC’s current performance and most considered that ASIC was performing better than, or the same as, two years ago. Particular strengths included:

• ASIC’s market supervision, including ASIC’s work in keeping markets free from insider trading, and ensuring that companies provide reliable and timely information to the market

• ASIC acting professionally, promoting confidence in Australia’s financial system, and understanding the industries and markets it regulates, and

• ASIC’s registration and licensing being easy, efficient, timely and cost-effective.

ASIC Chairman Greg Medcraft said: ‘We appreciate the time that stakeholders took to participate in the survey. ASIC uses these surveys as one way to understand more fully stakeholder perceptions of the environment we operate in, and ASIC’s performance.

‘While it is very encouraging that our stakeholders provided some positive feedback, the real value in the survey findings is that they identify opportunities for ASIC to improve.’

The survey was conducted by Susan Bell Research between February and June 2013 via a quantitative questionnaire (with a total sample of 1468 stakeholders) and qualitative interviews (with over 40 stakeholders).

Download a copy of ASIC stakeholder survey 2013

Editor's note:

An updated version of the report, dated 26 September 2013, amended charts 13, 46, 68, 89, 91, 97 and 111. These amendments do not have any impact on the overall findings in the report.