Tune in to hear CreditorWatch CEO, Patrick Coghlan, discuss the upcoming monthly Business Risk Index, a comprehensive analysis of current business conditions.

Hear CreditWatch's insights on: 

• What the latest indicators show for business conditions across 2025 with an overview of potential challenges and opportunities

• Trends in insolvency and Australia's economic position, and the impacts of these on future business strategies.

Almost one year after the implementation of amendments addressing unfair contract terms, it is crucial to review the impact of these laws.

Join us as we explore the legal framework established to protect consumers and businesses from unjust contractual provisions.

Key discussion points:

• Overview of the legal framework for unfair contract terms

• The impact of these amendments and the ongoing commitment required to comply

• Notable enforcement action

• Practical tips for compliance and risk management with case study examples.

 This webinar is an opportunity to hear from De Michele Legal’s Legal Practitioner Director, Peta De Michele as she provides her expertise and thoughts on Unfair Contract Terms Law.

Australia is set to announce significant changes to Privacy Act as part of ongoing privacy reforms aimed at enhancing online safety.

On 12 September 2024, the Federal Government introduced the Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 into the House of Representatives. 

The Bill implements a first tranche of agreed recommendations from the Privacy Act Review, including:  

• a new statutory ‘privacy tort’ 

• development of a Children's Online Privacy Code to better protect children from a range of online harms, supported by an additional $3 million over three years to the OAIC for it to develop this important Code

• greater transparency for individuals regarding automated decisions that affect them 

• streamlined information sharing in the case of an emergency or eligible data breach, while ensuring that information is appropriately protected; and 

• stronger enforcement powers for the Australian Information Commissioner.

Members can register here.

Join Richard Lee, Executive Director – Financial Crime KordaMentha for an essential discussion on the traps and shortcomings businesses often encounter in their Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) compliance. This webinar will also discuss the proposed changes to Australia's AML/CTF regime, as outlined in the Attorney-Generals Departments’ second stage of consultation on reforming the regime.

We will explore the common pitfalls businesses face in meeting regulatory expectations, and provide practical advice on how to navigate these challenges effectively. We will discuss examples and case studies to illustrate these points, followed by a Q&A session where you can engage directly with industry leaders.

This session is a must for professionals in compliance and risk management who want to stay informed about the latest regulatory changes and ensure their businesses remain compliant with AML/CTF regulations.

Home insurance affordability pressures have continued to rise in the year to March 2024 for almost all Australian Households, with increases in home insurance premiums continuing to outpace household income growth. These home insurance premium increases are primarily a consequence of increased reinsurance costs dung 2023, driven by rising costs of perils.

In a recent report for the Actuaries Institute, Finity Principal, Sharanjit Paddam estimated that nearly one in eight households in Australia face unaffordable home insurance, noting that insurance premiums will rise as we continue to experience climate impacts.

In this webinar, Sharanjit will discuss what is driving this change in premiums, and the implications for lenders, who rely on customers to transfer weather risks to insurers. Attendees will also hear the potential options for banks to assess and manage these risks and to support their customers.

Australia is following many other jurisdictions in progressing with the introduction of ISSB-aligned mandatory sustainability disclosure standards with a focus initially on climate-related disclosure.

On 27 March 2024, the Australian Government introduced a Bill which (if enacted) would establish the framework for a new, internationally aligned, mandatory climate disclosure reporting regime in Australia. The Bill confirms that entities that are required to prepare and lodge annual financial reports under the Corporations Act will be required to also prepare a "sustainability report" in accordance with sustainability standards made by the Australian Accounting Standards Board (AASB).

These changes should be a key trigger for members to get ready to report; for those already reporting, they should prepare to assess their level of alignment with the new sustainability standards.

This webinar is an opportunity to hear from the AASB’s Research Director Dr Eric Lee on the new sustainability standards. Dr Lee will be joined by Dr Claire Horner, CSIRO’s Environmental Accountant and Allen’s Head of Climate Change, Jillian Button, for a panel discussion on the upcoming changes and practical implications for AFIA members falling under the reporting regime.

To ensure members are up to date with ASIC’s regulatory focus areas and financial services related developments, we will be hosting another instalment of our webinar series ‘ASIC – The Regulator’s Role in Our Economic Recovery’.

Tune in to hear AFIA CEO, Diane Tate, and ASIC's Senior Executive Leader - Credit, Banking and General Insurance, Dr Rhys Bollen, answer some of the critical questions in the minds of senior executives as well as legal, risk and compliance experts across the industry.

Diane and Rhys will deep dive into updates on ASIC’s engagement with members and upcoming consultations, as well as upcoming developments in the regulator’s use of new regulatory tools and government reforms work.

Join us for an insightful webinar with Campbell White from Pyxis Polling, who will share the findings from their recent research with AFIA into consumer attitudes towards the finance industry. This research was undertaken to better understand how Australians view financial and credit products, services, and technologies, and how they plan to use them now and in the future.

Pyxis, known for their strategic insights and public polling, conducted a mix of qualitative and quantitative research, including focus groups and surveys covering payments, lending, and small business finance. Their findings reveal key insights into how the current cost of living crisis is shaping consumer behaviour, and how these insights can guide AFIA’s advocacy and work program.