AML Assist Ltd New Zealand & Australia

AML Assist Ltd New Zealand & Australia AML Assist has all the services, tools and assistance you will need to comply with the AML/CFT Act.

We provide ongoing support, training and best practice advice to ensure the systems and processes used remain market leading and efficient.

30/06/2026

It’s here! 1 July 2026 is the day Australia's AML/CTF reforms go live.

After months of preparation, many risk assessments and compliance programs, late questions, and last-minute reviews, Tranche 2 is finally, officially real.

For the team at AML Assist, today is a bit of a milestone moment. We've spent the past few months working alongside some brilliant law and accounting firms, preparing for exactly this, and it's been one of the most rewarding periods we've had. Watching firms go from "where do we even start?" to having solid, workable programmes in place has been genuinely satisfying work.

We’re delighted that so many of those firms have selected to use our ongoing support consultancy package for the journey beyond today. That ongoing trust means everything to us.

To our clients, thank you. It has been a pleasure supporting you on your compliance journey, and we are proud of the relationships we have built.

To anyone still finding their footing, don't stress. This is the starting line, not the finish. The obligations are live, but building good compliance practice is a journey, and that's exactly what we're here for.

If you'd like experienced, practical support for what comes next, come find us at https://amlassist.com.au/.

Here's to the new era of AML/CTF in Australia. 🎉

29/06/2026

Upcoming webinar

New Zealand firms, we're hosting two webinars for our ongoing support subscription clients this month, and we'd love to see you there.

2026 has brought some meaningful changes to the AML/CFT Act and guidance, and we know staying on top of them alongside everything else on your plate isn't always easy. So, Craig is running two live sessions to cut through the detail and walk you through what's actually changed and what it means for your practice, no jargon, just practical guidance you can use.

On the agenda: the new Identity Verification Code of Practice 2026, updated ECDD guidance, treatment of low-risk family trusts, PEP screening expectations, and reduced verification options in lower-risk circumstances.

Pick whichever session suits you:

📅 Tuesday 7 July, 9:30am
📅 Thursday 9 July, 3:00pm

Can't make it live? Register anyway, we'll send you the recording.

Our updated online training and resources will also be landing in early July, so there's plenty of support on the way.

Come along and bring your questions!

29/06/2026

AML enforcement is shifting, and the recent DIA action in New Zealand is worth paying attention to.

On 17 June, the DIA issued coordinated formal warnings to a group of firms, including law firms and an accounting firm, for AML/CFT non-compliance. What stood out wasn't the nature of the breaches; they weren't complex. These were missed core obligations. And it is the first time the DIA has taken this kind of grouped enforcement approach.

That's a signal worth taking seriously.

For those of us working across both sides of the Tasman, this isn't just a New Zealand story. We can expect a similar direction from AUSTRAC in Australia as they move toward active supervision, a sharper focus on whether your AML framework actually functions (not just exists on paper), and a greater willingness to publicly call out non-compliance.

Over the past few months, we have had more conversations with firms asking exactly these kinds of questions:

"Are we up to date with our audit requirements?"
"Would our files hold up if someone looked at them tomorrow?"
"Are we actually doing what our programme says we're doing?"

The realisation settling in is that you don't have to be doing something wrong to end up on the regulator's radar. Falling behind is enough.

So, whether you're in New Zealand or gearing up for Tranche 2 in Australia, the things that matter right now are straightforward: independent audits, current risk assessments, documented decision-making, and clear evidence of what you've actually done.

None of that is new. But the appetite to check whether you've done it? That's very much on regulators' minds right now.

The question we would encourage every firm to sit with: If the regulator looked at us tomorrow, what would they find?

19/06/2026

More from New Zealand on the recent Act updates….this time to the Identity Verification Code of Practice (IVCOP), effective 1 July 2026.

The updates are largely practical in nature:
• More flexibility around ID and certification
• Longer validity periods
• Potential simplification of beneficial owner verification

Nothing dramatic, but the details matter, and getting them right protects your compliance programme. But again, the underlying message is consistent: Flexibility only works where there is clear, well-documented reasoning.

We have worked through the specifics now and will have clear guidance ready for our clients ahead of the July deadline. Our webinar this month will cover this, along with the other recent Act changes.

15/06/2026

⚠️ Australian law and accounting firms — enrolment is scaling up

If your business provides designated services under Australia's Tranche 2 AML/CTF regime, the July 2026 enrolment deadline is fast approaching.

The numbers show momentum is building; around 15,000 entities are now enrolled, including nearly 3,000 legal professionals and over 3,600 accounting and professional services firms. If you're not yet enrolled, AUSTRAC's message is clear: do it now.

Beyond enrolment, AUSTRAC is directing firms to take three immediate steps:
✅ Finalise your AML/CTF programme
✅ Train your staff
✅ Build the operational workflows that make compliance work in practice, not just on paper

If you need help with any of these changes, get in touch with the AML Assist team.

🌐 www.amlassist.com.au

15/06/2026

Another update from the New Zealand guidance on the recent Act changes.....now, not every client needs a PEP check.

New Zealand's AML/CFT Act changes, effective 18 May 2026, have made that official. PEP identification is now risk-triggered, meaning if the risk indicators aren't there, the formal screening requirement isn't either.

This is a welcome move away from checkbox compliance toward something more intelligent: applying scrutiny where it actually matters. That said, documenting your reasoning is critical. Proportionate doesn't mean undocumented.

Unsure whether your current PEP process reflects the updated approach? That's exactly the kind of question we help reporting entities work through.

For New Zealand reporting entities, the guidance on the recent AML/CFT Act changes and a new IVCOP was released late las...
09/06/2026

For New Zealand reporting entities, the guidance on the recent AML/CFT Act changes and a new IVCOP was released late last week. Here is a quick update on Family Trusts.

From 18 May 2026, low-risk, NZ-based family trusts benefit from a lighter Enhanced CDD approach under the Act, particularly where trusts are: NZ-based with local connections, family-focused in structure and holding simple assets such as the family home.

The shift is practical and long overdue: compliance obligations now better reflect the actual risk these structures present, rather than applying the same heavy-handed requirements across the board. If family trusts are a regular part of your client base, it's worth understanding how this applies to your business.

We're working through the implications for our clients now, and our upcoming July webinar will cover exactly what this means in practice.

https://www.dia.govt.nz/AML-CFT-News

WEBINAR: KEY NZ AML/CFT UPDATES FOR 2026We’re pleased to invite you to our first webinar of 2026, providing a practical ...
09/04/2026

WEBINAR: KEY NZ AML/CFT UPDATES FOR 2026

We’re pleased to invite you to our first webinar of 2026, providing a practical update for Compliance Officers and reporting entities on key regulatory developments and what to expect in the year ahead.

This 30–45 minute session offers a concise way to stay informed and prepared.

Topics include:
• Introduction to our new Compliance Officer Reference Hub
• Upcoming Act changes and expected timelines
• DIA audit activity and key focus areas
• Independent audit expectations for 2026
• Recent DIA and Ministry of Justice publications, including the AML/CFT National Strategy 2026–2030
• Insights from the Basel AML Index (2025) and Transnational Organised Crime Index
• Practical reminders and live Q&A

It will be run on Wednesday, 15th April at 9am, and Tuesday, 21st April at 3pm. Contact us for how to register if you are interested: https://www.amlassist.co.nz/contact/

Accountants: July is approaching fast.The Institute of Public Accountants has flagged what many firms are only just real...
09/04/2026

Accountants: July is approaching fast.

The Institute of Public Accountants has flagged what many firms are only just realising:
AML/CTF obligations apply from 1 July 2026.

AML/CTF is not a software purchase. It is a people-led process that requires:
• Real judgment
• Real decisions
• Real flexibility

At AML Assist, we help practices get genuinely July-ready, assessing whether you’re captured, building a fit-for-purpose AML/CTF program, and training your people to apply judgment (not just click buttons).

• No tech shortcuts.
• No over-designed processes.
• Just real people helping real practices.

Just real people helping real practices meet their obligations with confidence.

Book a July readiness call and take the pressure off the deadline:
https://amlassist.com.au/

https://www.publicaccountants.org.au/news-advocacy/advocacy/policy/amlctf/ #

08/04/2026

⚖️ AML/CTF isn’t a one‑off task — it’s about to become business as usual.

In Australia, from 1 July 2026, legal and conveyancing firms providing designated services must manage ongoing AML/CTF obligations as part of their daily work.

What does that actually look like in practice?

Join our Panel Q&A webinar with AML experts from AML Assist Ltd, Dye and Durham and Realaml where we will cover:
✔️ Real‑world CDD scenarios
✔️ ID verification, PEP & sanctions screening
✔️ Beneficial ownership for trusts & companies
✔️ Handling PEP matches and SMRs
This session is designed for firms wanting clear, practical guidance.

📅 16 April 2026
⏰ 12:00–1:00pm (AEDT)
👉 Register now: https://lnkd.in/gw9QyHx2

Address

Unit 12/66-68 Aranui Road
Mapua
7005

Opening Hours

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Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5pm
Friday 8:30am - 5pm

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