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Articles on big four

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The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority has been criticised for pursuing stability in a manner that has killed competition. Mick Tsikas/AAP

Australia’s financial regulators need policing

Our financial regulators ASIC and APRA need a board of oversight, similar to what the UK has, to keep them in check.
Bank lending standards need to be more consistent to avoid borrowers shopping around to find the lender that offers them the highest loan amount. Paul Miller/AAP

Banks shouldn’t underestimate the risk of concentration in the housing market

It’s not likely the Australian appetite for property will change but this means we need to hedge our bets against any risks by improving diversification and the way banks finance mortgages.
Applying the GST to bank products and services would increase costs for consumers but reduce distortion in our economy. Sergio Dionisio/AAP

A better alternative to levying the bank tax

Applying the GST to banking has much sounder economic underpinnings than the current levy, would have raised much more revenue, and would have applied to all banks rather than just the big banks.
There are better ways of dealing with distortions caused by the bank than the government’s quick, politically opportunistic, measure. Joel Carrett/AAP

Budget bank levy: too big to fail, not too big to take a hit

The new levy on banks from the budget is a small hit to their profit but it could have unintended consequences.
The treasurer referred to the A$13 billion “zombie” measures the Senate has failed to pass as a “Senate tax”, in justifying the tax increases in this budget. Lukas Coch

Budget 2017: bank populism will be paid for by Australians

The budget was extraordinary in many ways. It is an abandonment of restraint on taxes by a liberal government. It is nakedly populist and it also acknowledges that government debt can be productive.
Scott Morrison is headstrong – a quality that has marked his career, including before he was an MP. Lukas Coch/AAP

Morrison’s tanty over bankers hiring Anna Bligh was arrogant and absurd

Less than three months from his second budget, Treasurer Scott Morrison is not in a happy place. The last week has been a disaster for him, culminating in the weekend exit of his strategy and communications…
Commonwealth Bank CEO Ian Narev got a 50% pay rise despite scandals involving the bank in 2016. Dan Himbrechts/AAP

ASIC gives the banks cause for Christmas celebration

Just before everyone sits down for their Christmas dinner ASIC has handed two of Australia’s big four banks a big present.
The ACCC has blocked the big four banks from bargaining with Apple for more control over Apple Pay. Damir Sagolj/Reuters

ACCC rejects the banks colluding to bargain on Apple Pay

The banks could have used their collective bargaining power not only against Apple for Apple Pay but also stall the adoption of mobile payments in Australia.
ANZ has already struck a deal with Apple for its contactless payment system but now four other banks are arguing the company is making competition difficult. Monica Davey/EPA

Apple Pay dispute may mean less opportunity to pay with your mobile

The competition in Australia’s contactless payment industry is heating up as Apple Pay sets up in Australia. However some banks claim the company is making the system less competitive.
NAB CEO Andrew Thorburn defended the culture of the bank he works for during the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics annual public hearing. Lukas Coch/AAP

Big four bank chiefs face parliamentary committee: experts react

As the chief executives of Australia’s big four banks come before a House of Representatives economics committee, we ask a panel of experts what questions the banks should be answering.

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