14 February 2018
The passage through the parliament of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority Bill (AFCA) delivers a big win for Australian bank customers by creating a ‘one stop shop’ for resolving issues in the financial services industry.
Anna Bligh, CEO of the Australian Bankers’ Association, said the legislation, supported from the beginning by the banking industry, would streamline the complaints process and lead to a speedier resolution of issues for customers.
“A quick resolution of any dispute between a customer and financial institution is in everyone’s best interest,” Ms Bligh said.
“It’s always the first preference for customers to resolve issues directly with their banks, who have been putting in place extra measures such as ‘customer advocates’ to improve how they handle complaints.
“When a complaint needs to go further, it’s important the process is simple, fair and results in a speedy outcome.
“Merging three complaints authorities into a ‘one stop shop’ is common sense reform and should lead to speedier resolution of issues experienced by Australian bank customers,” Ms Bligh said.
“Australian banks have supported this change from its inception as a recommendation from the Ramsay review to ensure efficient and easier access to help for customers,” she said.
ENDS
Contact: Rory Grant 0475 741 007
Latest news
Michael McLaren (Host): Well, here we are at the Easter Show, the great celebration of country life in the city, but it’s also an important platform this to better understand the challenges that the regions face. Now, yesterday, we looked at the floods. Today, I want to look at the banks. Now in the regions,… Read more »
The ABA is reminding customers across North and Far North Queensland that they don’t have to tough it out on their own, as they continue to recover from February’s severe flooding event. ABA CEO Anna Bligh recently met with Queensland’s State Recovery Coordinator Andrew Cripps to discuss how banks can assist customers facing financial difficulty… Read more »
Banks stand ready to support customers in western Queensland and parts of New South Wales affected by heavy rainfall and flooding. ABA CEO Anna Bligh said customers don’t have to tough it out on their own and banks have a range of practical measures to assist those facing financial stress. “This is a challenging time… Read more »