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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
New scams prevention framework key to winning war against scammers 
7 November 2024

The ABA welcomes the introduction into the Parliament of critical scam fighting legislation to better protect Australians.   ABA CEO Anna Bligh said the Federal Government’s proposed Scams Prevention Framework is the best way forward to prevent, detect, report, disrupt and respond to scams.   “This is an important step forward in our ongoing work to scam-proof… Read more »

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Media Releases
Banks stand ready to support Far West NSW communities impacted by recent storms 
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Banks stand ready to support Far West NSW communities hit by recent storms and ongoing power outages.   ABA CEO Anna Bligh acknowledged that many households and businesses in the Far West were still feeling the effect of this severe weather event.   “My message to customers in these communities, is please reach out to your bank… Read more »

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Media Releases
Keeping banking customers safe from financial abuse
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Customer safety will be front and centre when banks design their products and services under a new global leading initiative launched today by the Australian Banking Association, in partnership with Westpac. The new Safety by Design toolkit, developed by Westpac and made accessible to the sector, will give banks access to more guidance to ensure… Read more »

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