ATM Reform: Progress Reports

In its media release of 31 August 2007 on reform of the ATM system, the Bank indicated that it would ask the Australian Bankers' Association (ABA) and the Australian Payments Clearing Association (APCA) to provide it with quarterly reports on progress in implementing the reforms which could be published. These reports are available below, along with the Bank's response.

2009

9 February
APCA Progress Report 6 55KB

Considered by the Payments System Board on 16 February 2009.

2008

17 November
APCA Progress Report 5 1.1MB

Considered by the Payments System Board on 21 November 2008.

8 August
APCA Progress Report 4 137KB

The Board notes that the necessary technical work is on track to meet the 3 March 2009 deadline, although the formal arrangements under which interchange fees are to be set to zero have not yet been agreed. The Board encourages the industry to finalise these arrangements as soon as possible. In the event that this is not done by November 2008, the Board will consider how best to ensure that the March 2009 deadline can be met.

8 May
APCA Progress Report 3 83KB

Considered by the Payments System Board on 16 May 2008.

14 February
APCA Progress Report 2 95KB

The Payments System Board welcomes progress to date, although it notes that the industry will not meet the Board's preferred start date of 1 October 2008. While it is clear that some institutions could move more quickly, a number have indicated that they are not in a position to introduce the new arrangements before March 2009. Over the period ahead the Bank will be following up on a number of issues, including the specific milestones for the project and the industry's progress in meeting these milestones.

There are two aspects of the proposed ATM Access Code that the Board will be paying close attention to: the cost of connection for new entrants and the proposal to allow for bilateral negotiation of interchange fees. Although the Board is yet to see a draft of the Access Code, it will want to be assured that the cost of connection will not be an impediment to access seekers. The Board also notes that the Access Code will allow bilateral agreements on interchange fees that are non-zero. It will be seeking assurances from the industry that such a clause will not undermine the intention of the reforms.

13 February
ABA Progress Report 2 18KB

2007

28 November
Progress Report 1 202KB

Although it is encouraging that progress is being made in a number of areas, it is disappointing that the introduction of the new regime is to be delayed until 3 March 2009, much later than the Payment System Board's preferred start date of 1 October 2008. The report indicates that the delay is at least partly due to technical issues. The Bank is seeking further detail from the industry on these technical constraints.