Ethics in Finance and the Regulation of the Financial Sector

As part of our commitment to ‘alternative narratives’ we are pleased to return to a topic introduced in 2013 by Professor David Mayes, Prof of Banking and Financial Institutions, Director Europe Institute and NZ Governance Centre, University of Auckland.

Even before the global financial crisis people had a pretty cynical view of ethical standards in finance, assisted by the collapse of the deposit-taking finance company sector. Now they probably view the Alex cartoon in the New Zealand Herald as summing up the behaviour of investment banks, at least. This is in striking contrast to what they do with their money. Most people are happy to lend their money at low rates of interest to banks without any security or hold over how they use that money. They behave as if they have made a deposit in Harry Potter's Gringotts Bank and it is being held for them completely safely in a well locked vault.

The presentation will generate discussion into how the financial system can be better regulated and will review where regulation in New Zealand has got to compared with the rest of the advanced countries. It is essential to consider Australia in particular as the strength of our financial system depends on what happens there. It is also worth considering why things were so much better (if they were) years ago, such as in the 'free banking' period in Scotland in the nineteenth century.

It will help with our planning if you register here.

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