Online mortgage player, HashChing, has hired solutions architect and engineering expert Vajira Amarasekera as its next chief technology officer. He brings 19 years of experience, 12 of which were in leadership roles. Prior to his appointment at HashChing, Amarasekera was a senior architect at Westpac, Object Consulting and NSW Department of Finance and Services. In a media release, HashChing said it has processed more than A$14 billion worth of home loan applications since its launch in August 2015 ago. Amarasekera will replace Atul Narang, who remains a major shareholder in HashChing. New Zealand's new Labour-led Government will introduce legislation today to ban foreign buyers from buying existing homes and to force them to sell any new homes or apartments that they build. Housing and Urban Development Minister Phil Twyford announced that legislation would designate residential land as sensitive land under the Overseas Investment Act, effectively banning non-residents who are also non-citizens from buying and holding homes. It is expected to be passed by March. The time period over which foreign builders of homes or foreigners buying apartments off the plan must sell on the new dwelling has yet to be set. Twyford said Singaporean buyers may join Australians as exempt from the rules if New Zealand cannot agree a new trade agreement. New Zealand's Trade Agreement with Singapore was the only one preventing such a foreign buyers' ban. Former senior financial planner of the CBA's Commonwealth Financial Planning Limited, Ricky David Gillespie, was sentenced on 12 December in the Brisbane Magistrates Court for forging signatures on client documents. On 24 October 2017, Gillespie pleaded guilty to a rolled-up charge relating to the forgery of 33 documents between 1 January 2007 and 13 June 2009, when he worked at the Broadbeach Commonwealth Bank branch on the Gold Coast. He was fined A$3,000, with no conviction recorded, according to an ASIC media statement. CBA subsequently reviewed the advice provided to each of 57 clients, and has paid approximately $2.2 million in advice compensation to 33 of these clients. In addition, CBA refunded approximately $88,000 for ongoing advice fees and interest, to 22 clients.