- “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 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.”
- “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 »
- 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.
- 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.
- “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.”
- “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.
- Financial mentors in small communities are helping people access banking services thanks to a partnership between FinCap and the New Zealand Bankers’ Association. A partnership agreement announced in March is now delivering for people living in places from Balclutha to Murupara through a Banking Collaboration Project funded in the first year of the partnership. Under... Read more »
- 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.