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New Financial Assistance Hub

COVID-19 Banking Timeline: a financial history of the pandemic

6 May 2020


COVID-19 Timeline

What’s happened in the Australian banking sector during the coronavirus pandemic.


2020


February 14: coronavirus assistance offered

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COVID 19 Relief

February 14: ABA COVID-19 assistance hub created

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Banks respond to second government stimulus package

March 11: Government announces first stimulus package of $17.6B


Banks Small Business Relief Package

March 20: small business relief package announced featuring 6 month deferrals

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Woman at computer with child

March 20: mortgage relief announced – 6 month deferrals available for homeowners


Banks respond to second government stimulus package

March 22: Government announces second stimulus package of $66B


Covid-19-FAQ-Relief

March 25: COVID-19 FAQs published

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March 30: business relief extended to landlords and renters

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April 3: contactless payments to increase from $100 to $200


Jobkeeper

April 5: banks support JobKeeper – credit available to bridge gap till payments begin in May

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Credit Score OK

April 6: credit scores secured – COVID-19 deferrals will not affect credit ratings

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SME Loan Guarantee

April 8: SME loan guarantee begin – 50% govt-guaranteed loans, no repayments for 6 months

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Jobkeeper Bank Hotlines Now Open

April 24: dedicated JobKeeper business hotlines open

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CovidSafe App

April 26: Bank CEOs support COVIDSafe app – will download app and encourage staff to do same

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Debit Cards are Secure

April 29: voluntary debit cards for passbook holders announced

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Protect yourself against scams

April 29: COVID-19 anti-scam hub updated, fact sheets in 12 translations

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Woman at computer with child

May 8: 100,000 extra COVID-19 loan deferrals in a week – brings total to 643,000

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Mortgages deferred by banks now pass 429000

May 16: 1 in 14 mortgages have now been deferred – 429,000 in total

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Digital Signatures

June 18: Call for temporary COVID improvements to be made permanent

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ABA Banking Activity Stats

June 19: Phase One banking activity statistics

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Banking Code of Practice

June 25: Temporary changes to Banking Code of Practice

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Open Banking

July 1: Open Banking begins

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July 8: Banks enter Phase Two of COVID support

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Banks respond to second government stimulus package

July 20: Phase Two SME Loan Guarantee announced

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July 24: Increased SME lending – “green shoots”

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Sep 7: 6-month loan assessments begin as Australians begin repayments

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Sep 29: A new digital plan to modernise the Australian economy will make banking faster and easier

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Deferrals have dropped by half

Oct 15: Repayments have resumed on almost half of deferred loans

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SME Lending remains strong

Oct 20: Flow of credit to small business remains strong

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Credit Law Changes

Oct 30: Record rates of refinancing during COVID-19

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Nov 17: Majority of deferrals back on trackdown by 70%

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2021


Financial Assistance Hub

Feb 17: Banks launch new phase of pandemic support – new hub provides clear, step-by-step info

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SME Loan Guarantee

Mar 11: New expanded and extended SME loan scheme good for small business 80/20, 24 month deferrals, $250M turnover

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Payments

May 28: COVID-19 accelerates debit card use, cash decline

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Vic banks remain open

Jun 29: Banks to assist customers in COVID-19 lockdowns

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Banks Vaccine Rollout

Jul 7: Banks ready to help vaccine rollout

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Further covid assistance from banks

Jul 8: Banks offer further support for customers impacted by lockdowns

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Lockdown Extended

Jul 17: Banks supporting customers as lockdowns extended

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Aug 8: More than 20,000 customers receive hardship assistance during recent lockdowns

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Latest news

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Media Releases
Early signs of success in war against scammers 
15 March 2024

The Australian Banking Association welcomes the release today of a new report from the National Anti-Scam Centre showing that industry and government measures to tackle scams are protecting more Australians.     The latest quarterly report shows that overall scam losses in the 2023 December quarter were down by 43% compared to the same quarter last year.  … Read more »

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Media Releases
Banks welcome Federal Government’s commitment to a regulatory roadmap 
11 March 2024

The Australian Banking Association welcomes the Federal Government’s decision to introduce a financial sector regulatory initiatives grid.   ABA CEO Anna Bligh said providing a clearer picture of the future regulatory landscape would allow the Government to implement policy initiatives whilst at the same time reducing the compliance burden on industry.   “Banks recognise that regulation is vitally important… Read more »

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Transcript
ABA CEO Anna Bligh interview with Andy Park ABC RN
4 March 2024

Andy Park  The Reserve Bank is now calling on banks to do more to reduce the impact of these surcharges on businesses and customers. Anna Bligh, is the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Banking Association, she joins me now. Anna, a billion dollars in card fees, this is having a pretty significant impact on… Read more »

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