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
Banks welcome the introduction into Parliament today of legislation to create a new regulatory framework for digital asset businesses. ABA CEO Simon Birmingham said given the growing use of digital assets in our economy it was crucial they were captured under a strong and robust regulatory framework. “The role of digital assets in our economy… Read more »
E&OE Radio Interview Mix 104.9 Darwin 20 November 2025 Topics: Black Friday scam warning; meta profiting from scam ads. Katie Woolf (Host): Now, we are due to catch up with the Australian Banking Association of Australia, because they’re urging Territorians and indeed, everybody across Australia to stay alert as Black Friday sales kick off with shoppers losing almost $40 million to scams in the past year. And I know that we… Read more »
Lending to Aussie farmers now exceeds $140 billion as banks continue to recognise the integral role agriculture plays in supporting the regions and the wider Australian economy. The ABA has today marked National Agriculture Day, launching its 2025 Banking in Agribusiness report, which shows outstanding credit to Australia’s 170,000 agribusinesses has jumped 80 per cent… Read more »