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.
The ABA welcomes the appointment of David Lacey to lead the Australian Financial Complaints Authority’s new external scams dispute resolution service. ABA CEO Simon Birmingham congratulated Mr Lacey on his appointment to this important new role within AFCA. “Mr Lacey brings extensive experience in law enforcement, in fighting financial crime as well as liaising directly… Read more »
Australians have now used Confirmation of Payee over 100 million times since the service was launched in July 2025, marking a major milestone in the banking industry’s efforts to protect consumers and businesses from scams and mistaken payments. Part of the banking sector’s Scam-Safe Accord, Confirmation of Payee adds another layer of protection by allowing… Read more »
Banks are urging Australians to side-step fake or dodgy tickets this footy season, as scammers set their sights on fans across all football codes. More than $36 million was lost to buying and selling scams last year, including fake ticket sales, with criminals looking to cash in on the excitement and passion of footy fans…. Read more »
E&OERadio InterviewABC Radio Canberra9 February 2026. Topics: Romance scams; Scam Prevention Framework Emma Bickley (Host): You’re listening to afternoons on ABC Radio Canberra. I’m Emma Bickley, and my guest today is Simon Birmingham. He’s the CEO of the Australian Banking Association, and in the lead up to Valentine’s Day, they’re warning you that romance scams… Read more »
With Valentine’s Day approaching, banks are warning people to be on high alert for romance scams as criminals increasingly deploy AI to steal more than just your heart. AI romance scam red flags: ABA CEO Simon Birmingham said further advances in AI were making it incredibly difficult for people to distinguish between a romance scam… Read more »
E&OE Radio Interview ABC Adelaide 27 January 2026. Topics: Expanding scam prevention rules; Tips to avoid scams Rory McLaren (Host): But now to scammers, it appears that many scammers are moving faster than the laws that are designed to try and stop them. While banks and telecommunication companies face tough new rules, criminals appear to be slipping through the cracks using online marketplaces, messaging services, apps and other platforms that aren’t necessarily regulated as… Read more »
E&OE Ali Moore: Yes, if you use a dating app, have you ever thought about how secure it is? And if you ever wondered about the sort of anti-scam regulations that they have to comply with, the big banks say that the rules are not tough enough for dating apps, as well as things like… Read more »
E&OETV InterviewSky News Afternoon Agenda26 December 2025. Topics: Boxing day shopping scams; Tips to avoid scams Reuben Spargo (Host): Welcome back. Nearly two thirds of Australians say they’ve been exposed to some form of shopping scam. The Australian Banking Association commissioned new research and it’s warning Australians to be on high alert. Joining me live… Read more »
E&OERadio Interview3AW with Laura Spurway26 December 2025. Topics: Boxing day shopping scams; Tips to avoid scams Laura Spurway (Host): But first today, being Boxing Day, of course, is one of the busiest shopping days of the year. That’s along with Black Friday, 1000s of people somehow still want to head into a shopping centre with… Read more »
Banks are reminding Australians to be on high alert for shopping scams as they look to grab a bargain during the Boxing Day sales. The warning comes as new research reveals nearly two-thirds of Australians say they have been exposed to a form of shopping scam. Research from Pyxis Polling commissioned by the ABA shows:… Read more »
The ABA welcomes today’s release of draft industry designations and framework for scams code obligations for banks, telecommunication companies and digital platforms – reinforcing the importance of an ecosystem approach in the fight against scammers. ABA CEO Simon Birmingham said the draft materials were the next piece of the puzzle in ongoing efforts to drive… Read more »
E&OE Radio Interview ABC Pacific Beat 28 November 2025 Topics: Loan scams impact seasonal workers; Scam protection tips Host: Welcome back to Pacific Beat. Seasonal and PALM scheme workers in Australia are being advised to stay vigilant and not share their personal details with anyone. It follows an alert issued by Commonwealth Bank warning about scams targeting seasonal workers…. Read more »
E&OE Radio Interview Mix 104.9 Darwin 20 November 2025 Topics: Black Friday scam warning; meta profiting from scam ads. Katie Woolf (Host): Now, we are due to catch up with the Australian Banking Association of Australia, because they’re urging Territorians and indeed, everybody across Australia to stay alert as Black Friday sales kick off with shoppers losing almost $40 million to scams in the past year. And I know that we… Read more »
E&OE Radio Interview 2SM Breakfast 18 November 2025 Topics: Black Friday scam warning; Meta hosting scam ads Tim Webster (Host): Now we’ll remind you about all of this regularly, because there’s too much going on, it’s just not funny and we’ve done it a couple of times already today, and we’ll continue to do it. Shoppers are being urged to be wary of dodgy deals, because the Black Friday sales are pretty much on, and it’s you know, they’re on but there’s no specific Friday. So nearly $40 million was lost to buying… Read more »
E&OE Host: Black Friday sales are becoming increasingly popular as many South Australians look to stretch their budgets in the lead up to Christmas, but we’re being warned about a number of scams and dodgy deals to steer clear of. Simon, Birmingham, CEO of the Australian Banking Association, joins us now, Simon, thanks to your… Read more »
E&OERadio InterviewFiveAA Adelaide with Graeme Goodings14 November 2025. Topics: Black Fridays shopping Scams; Meta and scams ads; Bank account access Graeme Goodings (Host): We’ve got to be aware of scammers every single day, and they’re getting cleverer and smarter all the time, and people continue to fall for their traps. We need to be ever vigilant. With… Read more »
Shoppers are being urged to stay alert to the risk of scammers as Black Friday sales kick-off, after almost $40 million was lost to buying and selling scams over the past year. The ABA is reminding shoppers to be on the lookout for: ABA CEO Simon Birmingham urged shoppers to remain vigilant as scammers are… Read more »
E&OERadio InterviewABC Melbourne with Ali MooreThursday, 30 October 2025. Topics: Crypto ATMs; scams; cash access. Ali Moore (Host): So now there are calls to ban the ATMs to try and end the scams. Simon Birmingham is the CEO of the Australian Banking Association. Simon, hello, Simon Birmingham (Guest): Hello Ali, great to be with you… Read more »
E&OEInterview on Sky News with Cheng Lei Cheng Lei: Australian banks closed 155 branches over the last year, but the rate of closures has slowed. For the implications, let’s bring in Australian Banking Association Chief Executive and former Liberal Minister Simon Birmingham. Mr Birmingham, welcome to the show – great to talk to you in… Read more »
Australian banks strongly welcome the Federal Government’s announcement of two key measures aimed at curbing financial crime and better protecting consumers. New powers for AUSTRAC to ban high-risk cryptocurrency ATMs and expanding access to Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) checks by banks will build on ongoing efforts to safeguard Australians from scams and crack down… Read more »