Macroprudential and APS 220
25 February 2022
Increasing the macroprudential policy options available to APRA and transparency regarding when and how they may be used, should assist with enhancing the financial stability and resilience of the Australian economy. The ABA is supportive of these measures which offer a useful complement to the resilience provided by Australia’s well capitalised and well managed banks. In developing and implementing market interventions, such as macroprudential policies, it is vitally important that unintended consequences, regulatory burden and competition distortions are minimised. As such, and considering the system wide consequences of macroprudential interventions, the ABA strongly recommends APRA incorporates and imbeds processes to ensure early and close engagement with the banking industry before any macroprudential policies are implemented. Additional recommendations and points for clarification are included in the ABA’s submission to APRA.
Download PDFIBFed Climate-related Financial Risks
16 February 2022
This is an IBFed submission to the BCBS’s consultation on the draft Principles for the effective management and supervision of climate-related financial risks. The ABA is a signatory to this submission.
Download PDFReview of the Privacy (Credit Report) Code 2014
11 February 2022
The ABA generally considers that the CR Code works well to meet the competing objectives of privacy versus economic effectiveness.
Download PDFBCCC Priorities for 2022-23
8 February 2022
The ABA provides input to the Banking Code Compliance Committee (BCCC) consultation on its 2022-23 compliance priorities. In addition to its response on the six consultation questions, the ABA acknowledges the critical role the BCCC plays in both monitoring and enforcing banking sector compliance with the Banking Code of Practice and identifying best practice for banks to help achieve compliance in the best interests of customers. The ABA also acknowledges the BCCC submission to the Banking Code Triennial Review and looks forward to working closely as the ABA leads the development of an updated Code.
Download PDFAASB ITC 48 Extended External Reporting
7 February 2022
This submission responds to the Australian Accounting Standards Board consultation on extended external reporting (ITC 48.)
Download PDFCP354 Simple Hardship Arrangements
1 February 2022
The ABA requests confirmation from ASIC that a temporary financial hardship arrangement agreed under the Credit Reporting Code does not require a credit provider to send a ‘rejection notice’ under section 72(4)(b) of the National Credit Code. Once ASIC provides this confirmation, we consider that there is no real need for the continuation of the simple arrangement exemption in its current form.
Download PDFImproving the technology neutrality of Treasury portfolio laws
13 December 2021
The ABA remains very supportive of the Treasury’s ongoing efforts to improve the technology neutrality of the Treasury portfolio and look forward to further engagement on this, and subsequent, tranches of legislative change. Industry’s main comments regard allowing: • (under National Credit Code (NCC)) the ‘publish and notify’ and ‘in any other way agreed to’ methods of communications which are permitted under the Corporations Act; • more than one address to be used at any given time, which may be appropriate depending on the type of communications; and, • communications via secure portals instead of an email address, as securely housing certain notifications and communications within the credit providers (CP) information system, where it can be retrieved by customers after appropriate authentication, better balances the need for accessibility, security and technology neutrality.
Download PDFOnline Privacy Bill Consultation
6 December 2021
The ABA strongly recommends the Bill be amended to apply the OP Code more clearly and narrowly to the digital platforms on which the Inquiry focussed and the banking sector be expressly excluded from the definition of OP Organisations. The annexure provides detail in support of the recommendation. Additionally, in part two of the annexure we make suggestions in relation to the OP Code development, the OP Code scope and drafting matters relating to the Bill.
Download PDFARNECC – Modification of the Electronic Conveyancing National Law
24 November 2021
The ABA welcomes the changes included in the consultation draft and have some minor comments, contained in the attachment, regarding aspects of the drafting where further consideration may be warranted. The ABA is available to assist ARNECC in considering these issues.
Download PDFDigital Identity Legislation
27 October 2021
ABA reiterates our view that there is significant potential economic benefit in the government’s digital identity initiative for consumers and businesses. The development of both government and private sector digital identity systems is needed to achieve wider adoption, and therefore realise the potential economic benefits of this government policy. That will continue to depend on whether the proposed legislative framework provides clarity, ensures robust privacy safeguards for users, provides flexibility to innovate and incentives to participate, while minimising the potential for conflicting or inconsistent data and privacy obligations for participants.
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