1 October 2021
Key points:
• The eligibility requirements to trigger the safe harbour protections are too onerous and should be amended
• Use of the safe harbour should be made more cost effective
• The safe harbour regime would be improved by reducing complexity and providing more certainty in interpretation
• The safe harbour regime should provide for better incentives for the involvement of professional advisers
• Provide for advice to be obtained from a registered liquidator to ensure that it is appropriate
• Increase awareness of the safe harbour regime
• Any changes to the disclosure requirements for safe harbour should recognise that disclosure of the safe harbour restructuring plan is not appropriate in all circumstances
• Consider shifting the burden of proof to establish safe harbour defences to insolvent trading
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The Australian Banking Association (‘ABA’) welcomes the opportunity to make this submission to the Review of the Reserve Bank of Australia. The ABA notes the significant role of Australia’s central bank in delivering good economic outcomes for the nation. We support the ongoing independence of the Reserve Bank of Australia in executing its mandate.
The ABA’s responses to the panel’s questions in the Issues Paper (15 September 2022) raises these key points:
– We consider the three objectives to be appropriate, noting there may be an opportunity to update the expression of the objectives in Section 10(2) of the Reserve Bank Act (1959).
– We see opportunities for Reserve Bank of Australia (‘the RBA’ or ‘the Bank’) to augment its communications to explain the complexities underlying the decisions as well as greater explanation of the trade-offs made between the Bank’s objectives.
– We see the independence of the RBA as critical to ensuring a well-functioning economy.
Australian Banks support the intent of this global agreement to address the risks and leverage the opportunities arising from the digitalisation of the global and domestic economy. The ABA recommends that where possible, Australia’s implementation of the proposes measures should align with existing reporting and administrative requirements, and should be consistent with international approaches to ensure a streamlined and effective implementation.
The ABA considers the ASIC industry funding model is broadly meeting its objectives. The funding model promotes equitable outcomes across the financial services industry and for the community, by ensuring that entities that create the need for regulation bear the costs rather than taxpayers. However, there is scope to increase the transparency of the ASIC funding and improve some aspects of the reporting mechanisms.