Australian Financial Complaints Authority

This consultation process has now been completed. Submissions available
Date
-
Consultation Type
Consultation Paper

Key Documents

AFCA fact sheet - DOCX 187KB

Bill - EXTERNAL LINK

On 9 May 2017, the Government announced that a new one stop shop to deal with financial system complaints would be established, in response to the Review of external dispute resolution and complaints arrangements in the financial system (the Ramsay Review).

The Government has introduced a Bill to establish the new body, the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA). The AFCA scheme will be authorised by the Minister for Revenue and Financial Services. AFCA will be a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee and funded by member contributions. The Bill sets out standards that AFCA must meet, provides additional powers in relation to superannuation disputes and gives ASIC certain regulatory powers, including the power to issue directions. AFCA’s terms of reference will set out how legislative and policy requirements will be met.

Transition to AFCA

The Minister for Revenue and Financial Services has established a Transition Team led by Dr Malcolm Edey to manage the transition to AFCA from the three existing external dispute resolution schemes (the Financial Ombudsman Service, the Credit and Investments Ombudsman and the Superannuation Complaints Tribunal).

Dr Edey will advise the Minister on key elements of AFCA’s operations, including its terms of reference, governance and funding arrangements, to assist the Minister in her decision to to authorise the AFCA scheme. This may include advice on conditions of authorisation.

Dr Edey is consulting with parties on key issues that are not yet settled (as outlined in the fact sheet). Issues that have already been settled by the Government’s endorsement of the Ramsay Review recommendations will not be re-opened.

Related content

Explanatory Memorandum - EXTERNAL LINK

Senate Economics Legislation Committee report on the Bill - EXTERNAL LINK

Review of the financial system external dispute resolution and complaints framework (Ramsay Review) - PDF 4MB

Government response to the Ramsay Review - EXTERNAL LINK

Submissions

31 submissions were received for this consultation.

Consumer advocates - pdf 583.46 KB
Credit Corp Group - pdf 148.25 KB
Law Council of Australia - pdf 851.27 KB
Legal Aid Queensland - pdf 323.13 KB
Wolthuizen and Cullum - docx 51.03 KB