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The Australian Banking Association (ABA) is the information source for the news media on the Australian banking industry, providing information, analysis and context on industry issues.

The ABA plays an active role in the public dialogue on banking and financial services, providing commentary on broader industry issues and facilitating access to other sources of information.

For media inquiries contact [email protected] or 0475 741 007.


Transcript
Transcript of joint press conference with the Alliance of Industry Associations
20 April 2026

Speakers: Australian Retail Council (ARC) Chief Executive Officer Chris RodwellBusiness Council of Australia (BCA) Chief Executive Bran BlackCouncil of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA) Director Wes LambertNational Farmers’ Federation (NFF) Chief Executive Officer Mike GuerinAustralian Banking Association (ABA) Chief Executive Officer Simon Birmingham E&OE Bran Black, BCA: Well, I’m here with colleagues from farming, from small business,… Read more »

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Transcript
Transcript: Simon Birmingham joint press conference with the Treasurer and industry leaders
1 April 2026

Jim Chalmers: Thanks for joining us. I’m here with the Small Business Minister, Anne Aly, Bran Black, the head of the BCA, Skye Cappuccio from COSBOA, Simon Birmingham, from the ABA as well. We’ve got a bit to run through today to give you a sense of the work that we are doing together. But… Read more »

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Media Releases
Banks welcome APRA commitments to support more competition in Australia’s banking system
24 July 2025

The ABA welcomes APRA’s commitment to boosting competition for Australia’s mid-tier and international banks. In a speech today to the ABA’s Banking 2025 Conference, Chair John Lonsdale announced that APRA would: ABA CEO Anna Bligh said it was customers who would ultimately benefit from a strong and competitive banking system. “Today’s announcements from APRA will… Read more »

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Transcript
Anna Bligh Interview with ABC Newcastle on mule accounts
23 July 2025

EO&E Paul Turton: Have you ever heard of the scamming practice of crooks renting or buying bank accounts from normal citizens to move money in and out? Well, it’s a thing, apparently, and it’s prompted a joint campaign by the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Banking Association. They’re called money mules, and they’re known… Read more »

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Transcript
ABA CEO Anna Bligh on regional banking access: transcript of interview on 2GB Afternoons
22 April 2025

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 »

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Transcript
Press conference on regional banking
11 February 2025

E&OE TRANSCRIPT JIM CHALMERS, TREASURER: Thanks for coming out relatively early. I wanted to first of all make an announcement with Minister Rowland about regional banking. Then I wanted to update you on some of the economic impacts of the flooding that we’ve seen and are seeing in North Queensland and Far North Queensland. I… Read more »

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Transcript
Press conference on the expansion of the AFCX scams intelligence loop
13 June 2024

Stephen Jones, Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services: Good morning everybody, how are we going? Good to speak with you. Great to be here this morning, an exciting accountment. As you know the Albanese government has made a priority fighting scammers and ensuring that we can keep Australian’s money safe. From coming into government… Read more »

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Transcript
Press conference: Scam-Safe Accord launch 
24 November 2023

Australian Banking Association CEO Anna Bligh:   Today Australia’s banking system is coming together to launch the most comprehensive set of new anti-scam reforms.   With a level of unprecedented cooperation, banks, commercial banks, building societies, credit unions, and mutual banks have joined together to commit to a set of anti-scam reforms to keep Australians and their… Read more »

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Transcript
Anna Bligh interviewed by ABC RN’s Hamish McDonald on branches and changing customer trends
21 September 2023

Hamish MacDonald: A Senate inquiry is examining a wave of bank closures that have hit regional Australia particularly hard. More than 1600 bank branches have closed nationally in the past six years, including 309 in the last financial year. Like post offices and milk bars, bank branches form part of the architecture of regional communities… Read more »

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Media Releases
ABA welcomes future proofing of Australia’s payments system as Treasurer announces biggest overhaul in 35 years 
7 June 2023

The Australian Banking Association (ABA) has welcomed the Treasurer’s announcement today of a major overhaul of Australia’s payments system. 

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Media Releases
Mobile wallet transactions skyrocket to $93 billion, as 98.9% of bank interactions take place digitally 
7 June 2023

“Australia has witnessed a phenomenal shift in customer banking and payment preferences in recent years,” ABA CEO Anna Bligh said. 

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Transcript
Transcript – Anna Bligh interview with ABC radio Conversation Hour hosts Richelle Hunt and Kirsten Diprose on regional bank branches
28 February 2023

“in two years, there was an 88% drop in the number of cash withdrawals made at that branch, and there was an 89% drop in cash deposits”

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Transcript
Transcript: Assistant Treasurer launches National Anti-Scams Centre
7 November 2022

The Hon Stephen Jones MP Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services announced funding for a new National Anti-Scams Centre on the first day of Scams Awareness Week, 7 November 2022. ABA CEO Anna Bligh joined the launch with other industry leaders. STEPHEN JONES: It’s an important day. This is anti-scam week, National Scams Awareness… Read more »

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Media Releases
Banks support development and construction transition to a new economy 
20 October 2022

“I’m confident our respective sectors will play our role in navigating our way through the current challenges and the extensive transformation underway”

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Media Releases
Inaugural banking conference delivers forward thinking
11 March 2022

ore than 30 industry leaders addressed the audience throughout the day, deep-diving into the opportunities, digital disruptions, new customer trends and risks that face the banking industry.

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Media Releases
Focused on the Future of Banking
10 March 2022

The nation’s banking sector will come together for the inaugural Australian Banking Association (ABA) conference on Friday, with a focus on economic recovery and Planning for Tomorrow.   Reserve Bank Governor Philip Lowe will headline the conference with a keynote speech, while attendees will also hear from prominent industry leaders including Westpac CEO and ABA… Read more »

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Media Releases
Call for Governments to commit to reforms to prevent elder abuse
14 February 2022

“Our elderly Australians have worked hard over many years and deserve to live out their later years with dignity, respect and financial independence.”

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Transcript
Customer behaviour driving bank changes
27 April 2021

Interviewed by ABC Life Matters’ Hilary Harper, ABA CEO Anna Bligh discusses how changes in customer behaviour, accelerated by COVID-19, are driving changes in banking and banking services. TRANSCRIPT SPEAKERS: ABC Life Matters Hilary Harper, ABA CEO Anna Bligh Hilary Harper: Anna Bligh from the Australian Banking Association, Anna thanks so much for joining us… Read more »

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Transcript
Transcript – Media Conference 14 Oct 2019
14 October 2019

TRANSCRIPT E&OE  14 October 2019 Media Conference Parliament House Canberra  ANNA BLIGH:  Australia’s banks stand ready to assist the ACCC with this inquiry. Our banks are no strangers to public scrutiny and they look forward to providing information that will shed more light on the many complex factors that go into the determination of interest rates on Australian mortgages.    QUESTION:   Why have you passed on so little of the 75 percentage… Read more »

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Speech
Speech to the Financial Times Live Conference
9 April 2019

Enhancing Corporate Integrity in Banking: The Royal Commission has had a profound and enduring effect on the structure, culture and operation of banking in this country, forever searing in their minds the high cost of misconduct to reputation, brand and shareholder value.

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