Media Appearances

Otago Daily Times - Mortgage approvals in South contract

January 19, 2022 - The New Zealand Bankers’ Association warned the Government as far back as 2019 that changes to lending laws could cut people off from mortgages they could likely afford to pay.

NZ Herald - Government had three years of warnings new credit rules would shut out borrowers

January 18, 2022 - “We welcome any investigation into the unintended consequences of the new lending rules. In our submissions on the CCCFA law change and new regulations we’ve set out our concerns all along the way.”

The Guardian - New Zealand banks reject home loans over spending on Christmas gifts and pets as tighter rules hit

January 17, 2022 - The New Zealand Bankers’ Association chief executive Roger Beaumont told Stuff the law change meant banks had “much less flexibility or room for lender discretion than was previously the case.”

Stuff - Home loan changes: Are the banks taking the rules too far?

January 16, 2022 - “Banks are very much in the business of lending. They are also responsible lenders and take requirements to comply with the law very seriously.”

NZ Herald - ‘It’s ridiculous’: 27 days before bank picks up home loan application

January 11, 2022 - “The new [CCCFA] rules are fairly tight and there’s much less flexibility or room for lender discretion than was previously the case. For example, you might need to provide evidence of recent transactions so your bank can get a clear idea of your debts and expenses. This means it will take longer to get a... Read more »

Stuff - David Seymour calls for inquiry into ‘unintended consequences’ of loan law changes

January 8, 2022 - While the New Zealand Bankers Association warned in its submission that proposed laws changes “may” lead to more conservative lending, Watson told MPs it was inevitable.

Stuff - Government emissions reduction plan not ambitious enough

December 28, 2021 - Recent submissions on the government’s Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) from the Sustainable Business Council (SBC), New Zealand Bankers’ Association (NZBA) and Toitū Tahua, the Centre for Sustainable Finance (TT CSF), show an extraordinary willingness among the private sector to engage collaboratively with government on the climate transition and emissions reductions pathways.

Stuff - Credit crunch: Mortgage brokers hit back at lending rule changes

December 21, 2021 - “The law change was meant to help vulnerable consumers avoid unaffordable debt. It’s also affecting people seeking home loans, where there are traditionally very low rates of borrowers being unable to make repayments. That’s still the case, but the law change has tightened banks’ ability to lend.”

Interest.co.nz - Will changes to credit contracts and consumer finance laws lead to a government-induced credit crunch or protect borrowers from predatory lending?

December 16, 2021 - “One key to reducing harm from problem debt is supporting access to responsible, lower-cost borrowing. However, in our view, several of the proposed changes may unintentionally lead to conservative lending practices to the detriment of consumers,” said the NZBA.

NZ Listener - Through the roof: Will sky-high building costs ever come down to earth?

December 13, 2021 - Rather than see this as a matter for the banking industry as a whole, the New Zealand Bankers Association says it is an issue for each member institution to decide based on lending policies and appetite for risk, which would vary from bank to bank.