Inquiry into mobile payment and digital wallet financial services
25 May 2021
While existing inquiries or reform initiatives touch on these policy issues, the issues are not confined to any single legislative framework or the responsibility of any single agency. They need a holistic assessment of potential policy solutions and their impact on consumers and the economy as a whole. A siloed approach may fail to consider the impact of specific recommendations or reforms on the Government’s policy to foster Australia’s digital economy and retain digital talent. As such, the ABA recommends robust coordination on policy and implementation that sees the oversight of mobile payment and digital wallet as a key plank of Australia’s digital economy.
Download PDFAPRA’s approach to new entrant ADIs
30 April 2021
The ABA welcomes an updated approach to new entrant ADIs focusing on sustainability. Providing pathways for restricted entry promotes competition through innovation amongst ADIs. The ABA agrees with APRA that an important balance needs to be made between supporting entities to both enter and thrive in the banking sector, while ensuring financial stability and protecting the interests of depositors.
Download PDFAPRA: A more flexible and resilient capital framework for ADIs
1 April 2021
The ABA recommends that the final policy settings accurately reflect the proven resilience of banks and the needs of the Australian economy. The ABA also expects further calibration to be undertaken to ensure there is no increase to the overall level of capital in the banking system, considers that the proposed application of a non-standard treatment to interest-only mortgages with terms greater than five years is unduly punitive, considers that the proposed capital allocation to New Zealand exposures at Level 2 is set at a conservative level that is not commensurate with the level of risk ABA members also feel consideration should be given to increasing the default level of the proposed CCyB, it considers that the required IT updates makes the 1 January 2023 commencement date challenging, encourages APRA to promptly update its 2015 International capital comparison study and some of APRA’s current proposals may amplify volatility without necessarily improving the measurement of risk.
Download PDFModernising Business Communications
3 March 2021
The ABA welcomes the Government’s establishment of the Deregulation Taskforce (Taskforce). The proposed reforms to modernise business communications have the potential to reduce business costs and reflect the way Australian consumers and businesses prefer to manage their financial affairs today. The ABA particularly welcomes the Taskforce’s whole-of-economy approach by working to improve technology neutrality across Commonwealth laws, and importantly - partnering with states and territories to explore opportunities to achieve national consistency.
Download PDFThe bankruptcy system and the impacts of coronavirus
21 February 2021
The current economic circumstances have not changed the views that we expressed in response to the proposal to shorten the default period for bankruptcy that was contained in the Bankruptcy Amendment (Enterprise Incentives) Bill 2017.
Download PDFCritical Infrastructure Bill 2020
12 February 2021
The ABA has recommended a number of changes be made to the Bill enshrining verbal assurances already provided by the Department of Home Affairs. The ABA also proposes early consultation with industry to ensure time and resources for compliance, and to ensure guidance as to what information the government may require from critical infrastructure entities and the nature of information sharing between government and critical infrastructure sectors.
Download PDFTreasury consultation on licensing debt management firms
12 February 2021
The ABA supports the Government’s proposal to licence debt management and credit repair firms. We believe that all Australians should be afforded consistent consumer protections, no matter which credit or financial services provider they choose.
Download PDFCredit Reform
3 February 2021
The Australian Banking Association (ABA) supports the Government’s reforms to the National Consumer Credit Protection Act. So much has changed since 2009 that it is only sensible for the Government to review the legislative and regulatory framework. Ensuring the efficient flow of credit into the economy with strong consumer protections in place will assist Australia’s recovery from the pandemic.
Download PDFSubmission to the Payments System Review
29 January 2021
The ABA strongly supports continuing the self-regulatory arrangements within our regulatory architecture. The payments regulatory architecture should support innovation, as well as ensure the stability, and security of an expanded payments ecosystem. Innovation in payments should be considered through the lens of consumer and business end-users. These users rightly expect that when they make a payment, whether this is done through traditional channels or via a new app, their payments will be made in a timely, safe and secure way and their data will be secure.
Download PDFIBFed submission on global sustainability reporting standards
24 December 2020
The banking industry strongly supports efforts to establish a generally accepted international framework for sustainability reporting in order to promote consistency and comparability across organizations and reduce the potential for global fragmentation.
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