12 February 2025
The ABA welcomes the Federal Government’s move to have ASIC and APRA further clarify lending rules in relation to the treatment of HELP debts.
ABA CEO Anna Bligh said this was a constructive step and the potential to unlock more credit for prospective homebuyers could assist them in realising the dream of home ownership.
“Our industry welcomes this move and the clarity it will provide for banks when they are making lending assessments,” Ms Bligh said.
“Banks support responsible lending rules to protect borrowers and ensure they can repay their loans. However, there is always merit in carefully considered updates to regulatory guidance that may help some Australians safely access more credit.
“Whilst the challenges of reducing barriers to home ownership won’t be solved by one single factor, these clarifications should assist in unlocking more credit for some of those looking to enter the property market.
“We also welcome the clarification from APRA on lending rules in relation to pre-sold apartments. The ABA and our members stand ready to work with regulators on these updates.”
Latest news
E&OERadio InterviewInterview on ABC Sydney Drive21 September 2026 Topics: Refinancing and competition in the home loan market; Hardship support Thomas Oriti: Now, have you had to refinance your mortgage, perhaps because of rising interest rates, or maybe something else? Maybe your work situation changed, and you weren’t bringing in as much money. What was that… Read more »
Banks will better detect, prevent and respond to financial abuse under an updated industry guideline released today by the Australian Banking Association. The ABA has brought together separate resources on financial abuse, including elder abuse and family and domestic violence into a single framework, building on existing industry guidance and supporting the financial abuse provisions… Read more »
The ABA and its member banks are reminding businesses to make sure they are ready for the upcoming Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) card surcharge reforms which take effect from 1 October 2026. These changes mean: ABA CEO Simon Birmingham said banks were supporting business customers to prepare for these changes, along with implementing the… Read more »