BANKS AND BANKING – GOVERNMENT POLICY – AUSTRALIA

S&P concerned big banks may lose support in a crisis

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Original article by James Eyers
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 & 20 : 10-Apr-19

A report from S&P Global Ratings says the federal government is likely to remain "highly supportive" of Australia’s major banks in the event of a crisis. However, the ratings agency adds that there is a one-in-three chance that the government will change its position to "supportive" over the next two years. Any change in the government’s level of support for the major banks would most likely prompt their credit ratings to be downgraded, which in turn would increase their funding costs.

CORPORATES
S&P GLOBAL RATINGS, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, COUNCIL OF FINANCIAL REGULATORS

Tax big banks for implied guarantee

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Original article by Michael Roddan
The Australian – Page: 25 : 22-Mar-19

Australia’s four major banks are able to access wholesale funding at cheaper rates because of an implied guarantee that the federal government will not let them fail because of their size. ME Bank CEO Jamie McPhee says governments should tax the bigger banks because they get cheaper funding as a result of the "too big to fail" guarantee, and that this would make it easier for smaller banks to compete. ME Bank has advised that its net profit for the second half of 2018 fell 11 per cent to $41 million.

CORPORATES
ME BANK, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION

Labor waves new stick at big banks

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 20-Feb-19

Labor has unveiled draft laws to implement five recommendations of the Hayne royal commission which it believes can be implemented before the election. However, the federal goverment contends that Labor’s proposals are unworkable and have been rushed. The government is expected to release its own draft laws in coming days. Meanwhile, Labor proposes to require the CEOs of major banks to make twice-yearly reports to Parliament on their progress on implementing Hayne’s recommendations. The government in turn will give the Australian Financial Complaints Authority retrospective powers to hear financial complaints dating back to the start of 2008.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL COMPLAINTS AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STANDING COMMITTEE ON ECONOMICS

Hayne plan: trust, credit, competition

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Original article by Phillip Coorey, John Kehoe
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 1-Feb-19

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has indicated that restoring consumers’ trust in banks will be a key focus of the federal government’s response to the final report of the financial services royal commission. He says the government will also aim to ensure that there is competition in the sector and that consumers and businesses continue to have access to credit. Meanwhile, shadow treasurer Chris Bowen says a Labor government would establish a taskforce to implement the inquiry’s recommendations, claiming that only Labor can restore the public’s trust in financial services providers.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, GOLDMAN SACHS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Hacking risks higher under open banking

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Original article by James Eyers
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 19 : 24-Jan-19

The Australian Banking Association has expressed concern that theft of personal data and email scams will become rife under the federal government’s open banking regime. Open banking is slated to begin on 1 February 2020, with a pilot program to commence in July 2019. The ABA’s submission to the Treasury’s draft report on open banking has called for the terms of reference for the pilot program to include an assessment of the potential privacy risks.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BANKING ASSOCIATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION

Turnbull vows to go harder on the banks

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 24-Apr-18

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull concedes that it was a "political error" not to have set up a banking royal commission in 2016. However, he states that the inquiry now has much wider terms of reference than it would have had at that time. The Federal Government has cracked down on the sector in recent years, with reforms such as the Banking Executive Accountability Regime and a requirement that bank executives appear before a parliamentary committee on a regular basis. Turnbull has committed to implementing any additional reforms that are recommended by the royal commission.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Timing of bank inquiry will limit scrutiny: ALP

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Original article by Primrose Riordan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 19-Sep-16

The Opposition has questioned the timing of a scheduled appearance by the "big four" bank CEOs before a parliamentary committee. They will front the inquiry in early October 2016, which coincides with both school holidays and a non-sitting week for Parliament. The Australian Labor Party also notes that it also covers the so-called "blackout period" for some of the banks, which will restrict the amount of information the CEOs can publicly disclose prior to the release of their financial results.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STANDING COMMITTEE ON ECONOMICS, FINANCE AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Bank chiefs to face three-hour grilling

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Original article by Fleur Anderson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 16-Sep-16

The CEOs of Australia’s "big four" banks will front a parliamentary committee over three days in October 2016. Each CEO is slated to appear before the inquiry for three hours, under the Federal Government’s new policy of requiring banking industry leaders to front up to parliament once a year. However, the Opposition has criticised the timing of the CEOs’ parliamentary testimony, given that it will be during school holidays and in a week when parliament is not sitting.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STANDING COMMITTEE ON ECONOMICS, FINANCE AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN BANKERS’ ASSOCIATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Shorten to PM: rethink banks inquiry

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Original article by Laura Tingle
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 15-Aug-16

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has urged Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to support the Australian Labor Party’s proposal for a royal commission into the nation’s banks. Shorten has argued that a series of scandals in the financial services sector has significantly affected the finances of many people and undermined the public’s trust in banks. Meanwhile, Labor’s Sam Dastyari says the Opposition may have sufficient support in the Senate for a royal commission.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION

Bank inquiry could spook foreign lenders, says Argus

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Original article by Anne Hyland
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 19-Apr-16

Don Argus, a former CEO of National Australia Bank, says there is no need for a royal commission into the Australian banking sector. He has accused the Australian Labor Party of politicising the issue of corporate culture in the banking sector and described its proposal for a royal commission as a "political witch hunt". In his view, the sector is already well regulated, and any further scrutiny of the sector could alienate foreign lenders.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB