Australian banks are supporting rural Australia.
28 September 2022
The Australian Banking Association (ABA) today welcomed a government initiative to help 10,000 first home buyers purchase a home in regional Australia.
From Saturday, thousands more Australians will be able to apply for financial support under the Regional First Home Buyers Guarantee (RFHBG) scheme to assist them in purchasing a home with a deposit as small as five per cent.
““We know affordable housing is critical to the financial and social wellbeing of the community.”
ABA COO Vanessa Beggs
The Australian Banking Association Chief Operating Officer Vanessa Beggs said the initiative was an important step to help address the housing challenge in Australia.
“We know affordable housing is critical to the financial and social wellbeing of the community. Home ownership remains an important financial and lifestyle goal for many Australians and policies which facilitate affordable and sustainable home ownership should remain at the centre of Australia’s housing policy agenda,” Ms Beggs said.
“We welcome the expansion of the First Home Buyers Guarantee scheme, noting that it has been particularly successful to date in supporting women and front-line workers enter the housing market. Aspiring home buyers should contact a participating lender to discuss their circumstances.”
The Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee Scheme is an expansion to the federal government’s Home Guarantee Scheme focused on homebuyers looking to buy in regional areas and will remain open until 2025.
To be eligible, home buyers must have lived in the regional area or near the regional area in which they are purchasing for the preceding 12-month period.
Latest news
Transcript
ABA CEO Simon Birmingham on the Savings Tip Jar podcast
Read more
20 February 2026
E&OEPodcast InterviewThe Savings Tip Jar18 February 2026. Topics: Mortgage refinancing, savings accounts. Dominic Beattie (Host): Welcome to this week’s Dollar Dialog, and today we’re talking refinancing, with new data dropping from the ABS last week, showing that a record 640,000 Australian mortgages were refinanced through 2025, which is up 20% on the previous year. So,… Read more »
Media Releases
New data shows record number of Australians refinancing their home loan
Read more
11 February 2026
Over 640 000 homeowners refinanced their mortgage last year, according to new data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. New lending indicators data shows 640 137 mortgages were refinanced throughout 2025, a 20 per cent jump from the previous year as more borrowers than ever before renegotiated or switched their home loans. ABA… Read more »
Transcript
ABA CEO Simon Birmingham on Romance Scams: ABC Canberra interview transcript
Read more
9 February 2026
E&OERadio InterviewABC Radio Canberra9 February 2026. Topics: Romance scams; Scam Prevention Framework Emma Bickley (Host): You’re listening to afternoons on ABC Radio Canberra. I’m Emma Bickley, and my guest today is Simon Birmingham. He’s the CEO of the Australian Banking Association, and in the lead up to Valentine’s Day, they’re warning you that romance scams… Read more »