In a statement, ASIC said it had cancelled Halifax Investment Services’ licence as of 8 January, but would allow it to continue “on a limited basis” for a further 12 months to allow former clients of the firm to have access to external dispute resolution.
“These conditions have been put in place so that the cancellation does not adversely affect past or current clients,” ASIC said.
The news follows Halifax’s previous two previous licence suspensions by ASIC.
The firm, which has offices both in Sydney and Auckland, was placed into voluntary administration at the end of 2018 and then into liquidation in early 2019.
ASIC said a joint hearing of the Federal Court of Australia and High Court of New Zealand had recently been held in relation to the distribution of client money held by Halifax, but that the two judges from both courts had “reserved their decision on the matter”.
