12 January 2016
Sydney, 12 January 2016: A range of assistance packages are available from banks to help communities affected by the bushfires in Western Australia, the Australian Bankers’ Association said today.
ABA Chief Executive Steven Münchenberg said: “Individual banks have announced assistance packages to help ease some of the burden faced by people who have lost homes and been impacted by the bushfires.
“If your household or business has been affected, contact your bank as soon as possible to find out what type of assistance is on offer,” he said.
The support offered to customers will depend on individual circumstances and needs, but may include:
- Suspending home loan or credit card repayments
- Waiving charges associated with withdrawing term deposits early
- Emergency accommodation assistance, and
- Waiving fees related to restructuring business loans.
ENDS
Contact: Stephanie Arena 0477 470 677 or Nic Frankham 0435 963 913
Latest news
“…banks can go back to their normal processes and that is working out what’s right for every single customer, on an individual tailored basis with a proper assessment. That is the best thing for the customer.”
Access to credit opens up opportunities and fulfills aspirations. Getting it right requires the right balance between consumer protections and the flow of credit.
Interviewed by AM’s Peter Ryan, ABA CEO Anna Bligh talked about the substantial drop in loan deferrals since their peak during the pandemic, falling from 900,000 to 300,000.