Australian Banking Association

Australian Banking Association

Abbreviation	ABA
Formation	1985 [1]
Type	Lobbying body
Location	Sydney, New South Wales
Region served	Australia
Chairman	Andrew Irvine
CEO	Anna Bligh
Website	www.ausbanking.org.au

The Australian Banking Association (ABA), formerly the Australian Bankers' Association, is the trade association for the Australian banking industry. The ABA was founded in 1985 ^[1] and is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The ABA represents twenty-two banks ^[2] and associate members. It provides analysis, advice, and advocacy for the banking industry and contributes to the public policy development on banking and other financial services. ^[3]

The ABA's stated goal is to advocate and promote policies for improvements and development of the banking industry through advocacy, research, policy expertise, and thought leadership. ^{[4] [5] [6]}

In 2020, under CEO Anna Bligh, the ABA's public profile had risen ^[4] due to the industry's response to Australia's "Black Summer" fires, ^[2] and collective measures to help cushion the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. ^[7]

Executives

Chair

The following served as chairs of the Association:

Order	Officeholder	Title	Bank	Term began	Term end	Time in office	Notes
1	Stuart Fowler	Chair	Westpac	1990	August 1991 (1991-08)	0–1 years	[8]
2	Frank Conroy			September 1991 (1991-09)	2 July 1992 (1992-07-02)	0–1 years	[9]
3	Don Argus		NAB	2 July 1992 (1992-07-02)	1994	1–2 years	[9]
4	David Murray		CBA	1994	July 1996 (1996-07)	1–2 years	[10]
5	Don Mercer		ANZ	July 1996 (1996-07)	30 September 1997 (1997-09-30)	0–1 years	[11] [12]
6	Robert L. Joss		Westpac	30 September 1997 (1997-09-30)	June 1999 (1999-06)	1–2 years	[12]
7	Frank Cicutto		NAB	June 1999 (1999-06)	23 May 2001 (2001-05-23)	1–2 years	[13] [14]
8	David Murray		CBA	23 May 2001 (2001-05-23)	17 June 2003 (2003-06-17)	2 years, 25 days	[13] [15]
9	John McFarlane		ANZ	17 June 2003 (2003-06-17)	27 June 2005 (2005-06-27)	2 years, 10 days	[13] [16]
10	David Morgan		Westpac	27 June 2005 (2005-06-27)	17 July 2007 (2007-07-17)	2 years, 20 days	[17]
11	John Stewart		NAB	17 July 2007 (2007-07-17)	3 December 2008 (2008-12-03)	1 year, 139 days	[18] [19]
12	Ralph Norris		CBA	3 December 2008 (2008-12-03)	30 November 2011 (2011-11-30)	2 years, 362 days	[20]
13	Mike Smith		ANZ	1 December 2011 (2011-12-01)	4 February 2013 (2013-02-04)	1 year, 61 days	[19]
14	Gail Kelly		Westpac	4 December 2013 (2013-12-04)	31 January 2015 (2015-01-31)	1 year, 58 days	[21]
15	Brian Hartzer			31 January 2015 (2015-01-31)	2 December 2015 (2015-12-02)	304 days	[22]
16	Andrew Thorburn		NAB	2 December 2015 (2015-12-02)	4 December 2017 (2017-12-04)	2 years, 2 days	[23] [24]
17	Shayne Elliott		ANZ	4 December 2017 (2017-12-04)	2 December 2019 (2019-12-02)	1 year, 363 days	[24] [25]
18	Matt Comyn		CBA	3 December 2019 (2019-12-03)	1 December 2021 (2021-12-01)	1 year, 363 days	[26]
19	Peter King		Westpac	2 December 2021 (2021-12-02)	8 December 2023 (2023-12-08)	2 years, 6 days	[27]
20	Ross McEwan		NAB	8 December 2023 (2023-12-08)	2 April 2024 (2024-04-02)	116 days	[28]
21	Andrew Irvine			2 April 2024 (2024-04-02)	present	312 days	[29]

Chief executive officers

The following served as chief executive officers of the association:

Order	Officeholder	Title	Term began	Term end	Time in office	Notes
1	Alan Cullen	Chief Executive Officer	1985	September 1995 (1995-09)	10 years	[30] [31]
2	Mark Addis		January 1996 (1996-01)	October 1997 (1997-10)	0–1 years	[31] [12]
3	Tony Aveling		October 1997 (1997-10)	2000	2–3 years	[13]
4	Jeff Oughton	Acting Chief Executive Officer	April 2000 (2000-04)	January 2001 (2001-01)	275 days
5	David Bell	Chief Executive Officer	January 2001 (2001-01)	8 March 2010 (2010-03-08)	9 years, 66 days
6	Steven Münchenberg		8 March 2010 (2010-03-08)	3 April 2017 (2017-04-03)	7 years, 26 days	[32] [33] [34]
5	Anna Bligh		17 February 2017 (2017-02-17)	present	7 years, 311 days	[35] [36]

See also

• Banking in Australia
• Bank nationalisation in Australia
• Financial regulation in Australia
• Four pillars policy
• Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry
• Too big to fail

References

1. "History". Australian Banking Association. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
2. "Australian Banking Association Members". Australian Banking Association. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
3. "The Australian Banking Association's role". Australian Banking Association. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
4. "The ABA". Australian Banking Association. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
5. "Australian banks shut down internal appeal avenue for unhappy customers". the Guardian. 3 September 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
6. "Independent review of the Banking Code of Practice". JD Supra. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
7. "COVID-19 Banking Timeline: a financial history of the pandemic". Australian Banking Association. 6 May 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
8. Maley, Karen (20 July 1991). "Fowler to Retire Early From Westpac". The Sydney Morning Herald . Fairfax Media.
9. "In Brief". Australian Financial Review . Fairfax Media. 2 July 1992.
10. Canu, Sonia (30 November 1994). "Farm Debt Mediation Furore". Australian Financial Review . Fairfax Media.
11. Shield, Helen (17 July 1996). "ANZ's Mercer Says State Taxes Inhibit Bank Growth". Australian Associated Press.
12. Gray, Joanne (24 October 1997). "Westpac exec takes reins at ABA". Australian Financial Review . Fairfax Media . Retrieved 13 January 2025.
13. Khoury, Phil (2006). "The history of Australian Banking: 1991 - 2006" (PDF). Banking in Australia Today. Australia. p. 24. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
14. O'Riordan, Ben (19 July 1999). "Clearing the airwaves: Laws on notice as bankers feud". Australian Financial Review . Fairfax Media . Retrieved 13 January 2025.
15. "David Murray Elected as New ABA Chairman" (Press release). Australian Bankers' Association. 23 May 2001. Archived from the original on 1 May 2009. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
16. "John McFarlane Elected as Australian Bankers' Association's New Chairman" (Press release). Australian Bankers' Association. 17 June 2003. Archived from the original on 24 February 2011. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
17. "David Morgan Elected as Australian Bankers' Associations New Chairman" (Press release). Australian Bankers' Association. 27 June 2005. Archived from the original on 20 September 2009. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
18. "John Stewart Elected as New Chairman of the Australian Bankers' Association" (Press release). Australian Bankers' Association. 17 July 2007. Archived from the original on 7 October 2009. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
19. Murdoch, Scott (23 November 2011). "Smith takes the helm at ABA, replacing Norris" . The Australian . News Corp Australia . Retrieved 13 January 2025.
20. "Ralph Norris elected Chairman of the Australian Bankers' Association" (Press release). Australian Bankers' Association. 3 December 2008. Archived from the original on 22 September 2009. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
21. "Westpac's Group CEO Gail Kelly elected Chairman of the Australian Bankers' Association" (Press release). Australian Bankers' Association. 4 December 2013. Archived from the original on 4 March 2018. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
22. Eyers, James (10 December 2014). "Westpac CEO Brian Hartzer appointed Australian Bankers' Association chairman". Australian Financial Review . Australia. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
23. "NAB CEO new Chairman of the Australian Bankers' Association" (Press release). Australian Bankers' Association. 2 December 2017. Archived from the original on 4 March 2018. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
24. Frost, James (16 October 2017). "Worst-kept secret revealed as ABA names ANZ's Elliott as chair". Australian Financial Review . Australia. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
25. Durie, John (4 December 2017). "ANZ's Shayne Elliott steps into banking's hot seat". The Australian . Retrieved 3 March 2018.
26. Aston, Joe (10 September 2019). "Comyn Assuming ABA Chair in December". Australian Financial Review . Australia. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
27. Gluyas, Richard (23 November 2021). "Peter King set to sit on ABA Throne". Australian Business Review. Australia. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
28. "ABA Council appoints Ross McEwan as new Chair" (Press release). Australian Banking Association. 8 December 2023. Archived from the original on 25 February 2024. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
29. Ross, David (7 February 2024). "'No moonshot' but new chief eyes growth for NAB" . Australian Financial Review . Fairfax Media . Retrieved 13 January 2025.
30. Burrell, Steve (3 September 1986). "Deregulate Or Loan Famine Will Stay, Says Bank". The Sydney Morning Herald . Fairfax Media.
31. Cornell, Andrew (10 November 1995). "Bankers name new image-maker". Australian Financial Review . Fairfax Media . Retrieved 13 January 2025.
32. "NAB's Steven Munchenberg appointed chief executive of Australian Bankers Association". The Australian . 23 January 2010. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
33. Shapiro, Jonathan (21 October 2016). "ABA chief executive Steve Münchenberg steps down". Australian Financial Review . Australia. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
34. Sier, Jessica (19 February 2017). "Major banks back Anna Bligh for ABA top job". Australian Financial Review . Australia. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
35. Silva, Kristian (17 February 2017). "Anna Bligh appointed as first female Australian Bankers' Association CEO". ABC News . Australia. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
36. Whyte, Jemina (9 November 2017). "Can Australian Bankers' Association CEO Anna Bligh persuade us to trust banks?". Australian Financial Review . Australia. Retrieved 3 March 2018.