Finance in Focus Portal
APRA: Consequential reporting changes to ARS 110.0 – Capital Adequacy
The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority has released a response to submissions on proposed updates to Reporting Standard ARS 110.0 Capital Adequacy (ARS 110).
ASIC to launch new portal for Australian financial services licensees
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) is launching a new digital portal for licensing on 5 May 2025 to apply for, vary and cancel an Australian financial services (AFS) licence, marking a significant step in its digital transformation.
ASIC consults on plan to increase visibility of firms’ breach and complaints data
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission is consulting on plans to publish two dashboards containing firm-level Reportable Situations and Internal Dispute Resolution data in the second half of 2025.
Statement by the Council of Financial Regulators – April 2025
The Council of Financial Regulators met on 9 April to share insights over recent developments in financial markets and the global economy and was also joined by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
Commissioner Liza Carver to depart ACCC
Commissioner Liza Carver will leave the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) in mid-May after making a significant contribution to the agency, including as Chair of the ACCC’s Enforcement Committee.
Instant Asset Write Off extended
The Senate passed the Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Incentives and Integrity) Bill 2025, which included an amendment to extend the $20,000 instant asset write-off (IAWO) to 30 June 2025 for small businesses with a turnover of less than $10 million.
The CR Code repealed
The Privacy (Credit Reporting) Code 2025 repeals the previous code. The only change compared to the previous code is to amend section 24 of the CR Code to permit the Information Commissioner to defer an independent review by up to two years.
ASIC issues sustainability reporting regulatory guide
ASIC has published a regulatory guide on sustainability reporting following an extensive public consultation with stakeholders.
OAIC’s digital ID regulatory strategy
The Office of the Australian Information Commission is the privacy regulator of Australia’s Digital ID System and other APP identity-related entities.
Proposed financial institutions supervisory levies for 2025–26
Treasury is seeking views on proposed financial institutions supervisory levies for the 2025–26 financial year. The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) collects these levies to recover:
ACCC consults on assessment guidelines for new merger regime
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has marked a further milestone in the transition steps towards the new merger regime with the release of the draft merger assessment guidelines for consultation.
ASIC review into the motor vehicle finance sector
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) is launching a review into the motor vehicle finance sector this month with the aim to drive better consumer outcomes, particularly for those living in regional and remote locations, including First Nations communities.
AFR Banking Summit
The Australian Financial Review Banking Summit was held on Tuesday 18 March at the Hilton Sydney, which heard from a number of industry, media, and regulatory speakers.
AFCA opens joint consultation on draft Approach to family violence and Approach to financial elder abuse
The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) is inviting feedback from stakeholders on two Approach documents that focus on key areas within banking and finance.
AFCA webinar on its Approach to Small Business Lending
The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) is conducting a check-in with stakeholders by webinar after a period of 12 months following implementation of its Approach to Lending to Small Business.
Strengthening the enforcement of the Franchising Code
Minister for Small Business Julie Collins has announced the Government will aim to strengthen the enforcement of the Franchising Code of Conduct and extend protections from Unfair Contract Terms and Unfair Trading Practices to all businesses regulated under the Code, including automotive dealerships.
New Statement of Expectations for the Payment Times Reporting Regulator
Minister for Small Business Julie Collins has announced the release of a new Statement of Expectations for the Payment Times Reporting Regulator, which sets expectations for the Regulator to foster a culture of prompt payment times by increasing the visibility and accessibility of payment times data.
AUSTRAC: FATF updates on global ML/TF risk – February 2025
The Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) has announced the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has published two recent updates relating to international money laundering, terrorism financing and proliferation financing (ML/TF/PF) risk.
Quarterly Statement by Council of Financial Regulators
The Council of Financial Regulators has published its latest quarterly statement, which discussed the highly uncertain international environment, with geopolitical tensions and policy uncertainty magnified, and the intensity of cyber risks increased.
OAIC: Access seekers and credit reporting information
The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner has published a blog post elaborating on its approach to the Access Seeker provisions under section 6L of the Privacy Act 1988.