APRA Sets Bold 2024 Vision for Financial Sector Stability
APRA Sets Bold 2024 Vision for Financial Sector Stability
1
The first semester of 2024 marks a pivotal period for the Australian financial landscape, guided by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority's (APRA) latest supervisory and policy objectives.
Aiming to bolster the banking, superannuation, and insurance sectors, APRA is setting stringent standards to address critical issues such as digital security, strategic resilience in operations, climate-related financial risks, and robust governance mechanisms.
One key milestone on the horizon is the finalization of the CPS 230 prudential practice guideline, also known as CPG 230, intended to ease the transition for financial entities towards the adherence of novel regulatory requirements. With a nuanced approach, CPG 230 will offer smaller and less complex entities the guidance needed to seamlessly integrate these practices into their operational frameworks.
APRA's 2024 checklist is comprehensive, honing in on pivotal areas:
Digital and cyber resiliency: With an increased dependency on digital technology in financial systems and by everyday citizens, the emphasis on cybersecurity spans across all regulated entities to safeguard confidentiality, availability, and integrity of data.
Strengthening Authorised Deposit-taking Institutions (ADIs): ADIs are to enhance their prudential framework drawing from the chaos in global banking scenes witnessed the previous year, ensuring increased structural solidity.
Superannuation trustee innovation: APRA plans to revolutionize superannuation trustees' protocols pertaining to retirement incomes. This encompasses enacting strategies from the Financial Regulator Assessment Authority (FRAA) review, escalating transparency, and refining APRA’s performance metrics.
Ensuring insurance sustainability: While facing the enduring challenge of making insurance both affordable and available, insurers are urged to tread the fine line maintaining economic sustainability.
APRA's vision is undergirded by a detailed timeline, projecting key initiatives projected in the next half-year. These steps are critical in ensuring financial entities not only comply with regulatory norms but also champion best practices that promise enhanced consumer protection in a dynamically evolving digital economy. The foresight of APRA’s strategy is emblematic of its commitment to maintaining Australia’s position as a leadership contender in the global financial services arena.
Published:Saturday, 10th Feb 2024 Source: Paige Estritori
In a market swayed by trade tensions and geopolitical uncertainties, investors are encouraged to remain cautious of inflated valuations. The mid-year outlook from Schroders warns against ignoring these issues, despite the market's surprising resilience to economic pressures. - read more
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has taken enforcement action against two financial planning licensees for permitting unregistered advisers to provide personal financial advice. This regulatory action involved Sky Money Pty Ltd and Smart Financial Capital Pty Ltd, who were each required to pay infringement notice penalties amounting to $31,300 in early July 2025. - read more
Australia's strong labour market showed signs of cooling in June, with the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealing an increase in the unemployment rate to 4.3 per cent, up from 4.1 per cent in May. This slowdown in employment growth, with only a modest increase of 2000 jobs, adds to the pressure on the Reserve Bank to consider future interest rate cuts. The Reserve Bank had previously held the official cash rate steady at 3. - read more
Recent admissions from the Treasury reveal Australia's precarious financial situation, with significant implications for the nation’s economic stability. A report from credit ratings firm S&P last month highlighted that the combined budget deficits of Australia’s state and federal governments total $52 billion. Furthermore, the country's net debt has already surpassed 60% of GDP, showcasing a challenging fiscal scenario. - read more
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has proposed eliminating surcharges on debit and credit card transactions, a move that impacts all major card providers such as Mastercard, Visa, and eftpos. As revealed in a newly released consultation paper, the RBA cites the $1.2 billion annual cost to consumers, highlighting inefficiencies and advocating for a unified approach to card payments. - read more
When it comes to managing your finances, planning for the unexpected is a crucial part of staying on top of your budget. An emergency fund serves as your financial safety net, poised to offer support when unforeseen expenses arise. These funds are specifically set aside to cover unexpected costs, like medical emergencies, car repairs, or urgent home maintenance issues. - read more
In a world marked by economic uncertainties and the ever-mounting cost of living, the importance of a sound family budget cannot be overstated. Today's economic climate necessitates not just prudent but strategic financial planning. With the right budget in place, families can navigate the choppy waters of their finances, avoiding the all-too-common pitfalls of overspending and under-saving. - read more
Financial stability is a common aspiration, yet many Australians find themselves weighed down by the burden of debt. Whether it’s due to loans, credit cards, or unexpected financial emergencies, the struggle to stay afloat is a reality for countless individuals striving to achieve their dreams of a secure, debt-free future. - read more
Budgeting is the process of creating a plan to manage your money. Essentially, it allows you to allocate your income towards expenses, savings, and other financial goals. By keeping track of where your money goes, budgeting helps you ensure that you are not overspending and are prepared for future financial needs. - read more
Managing debt is a crucial aspect of maintaining financial well-being, yet it can often feel like a daunting task. Understanding how debt works and its potential impact on your life is the first step toward gaining control of your finances. In this section, we will delve into the intricacies of debt and outline why a solid financial strategy is essential for effective debt management. - read more
Managing debt is a crucial aspect of maintaining financial well-being, yet it can often feel like a daunting task. Understanding how debt works and its potential impact on your life is the first step toward gaining control of your finances. In this section, we will delve into the intricacies of debt and outline why a solid financial strategy is essential for effective debt management. - read more
Welcome, readers! We're here to talk about something incredibly important yet often overlooked: improving your credit score. Your credit score is a financial report card used to evaluate your creditworthiness, and it can have a significant impact on your ability to secure loans, mortgages, and even rental agreements. - read more
In light of the current economic challenges facing many Australians, managing credit card debt has become more crucial than ever. With rising living costs and financial uncertainty, accruing debt on high-interest credit cards can quickly escalate from a manageable inconvenience to a stressful financial burden. - read more
