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Credit Law 2025

35 Years of Excellence: Navigating the Future of Credit Law

14-15 October 2025 | QT Gold Coast

BUY A PASS Register Your Interest

overview

The 35th Annual Credit Law Conference is set to take place on the 14-15 October 2025, at the QT Gold Coast. Bringing together financial services institutions, regulators, professional service organisations, industry associations, and market disruptors, the long-standing annual conference provides a critical meeting and networking platform to discuss the future of credit and lending in Australia.

What you can expect from the 2025 event:

  • Keynote Address: Focus on recent enforcement actions and ASIC 2025 Update.
  • Panel Discussion: Experts from ASIC and leading law firms discuss the latest regulatory updates and their implications.
  • Case Study Sessions: Real-world examples of compliance challenges and solutions.
  • And much more!

The 2025 agenda is currently in development, please ensure you register your interest to keep updated with the latest developments.

What previous attendees had to say:

This event covered cutting-edge issues with insights from relevant regulators and provided an excellent opportunity for networking

Good range of speakers and topics which are current for today’s issues

Great content, good quality presentations, and networking opportunities

Who attends?

Click here to view a snapshot of organisations that have previously attended.

Speakers

Alan Kirkland

Commissioner, Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC)

Catriona Lowe

Deputy Chair, ACCC

Tim Baird

Assistant Secretary , Head of Banking, Currency and Credit Branch, Treasury

Nathan Bourne

Senior Executive Leader, Credit, Payments, General Insurance and Indigenous Outreach Program, ASIC

Patricia Sparrow

CEO, Council of The Aged Australia

Suanne Russell

Lead Ombudsman Small Business and Transactions, Australian Financial Complaints Authority

Shaq Johnson

Head of Customer Protection, ANZ

Ruth Neal

Managing Counsel, Retail Banking Legal, Commonwealth Bank

Michael Blyth

GM, Policy & Advocacy / CEO, RDEA , ARCA

Lennon Chang

Assoc Professor Cyber Risk and Policy, Deakin University

Dan Walsh

Head of Education, MFAA

Peter White AM

Managing Director, Financial Brokers Association of Australasia

Chris Patrick

Chief Operating Officer, ZIP

Michael Saadat

Head of International Public Policy, Block

Catherine Uhr

Senior Lawyer/Consumer Advocate, Legal Aid Queensland

Julia Davis

Senior Policy and Communications Officer, Financial Rights Legal Centre

Elise Ivory

Partner, Dentons

James Moore

Partner, HWL Ebsworth

Joshua Annese

Partner, Piper Alderman

David Carter

Partner, Dentons

Andrea Beatty

Partner, Piper Alderman

Mizu Ardra

Partner, HWL Ebsworth

Anthony Walsh

Partner, Dentons

Shannon Adams

Partner, Piper Alderman

Agenda

9:25 am

Opening Remarks from The Chair

Elise Ivory, Partner, Dentons

KEY TRENDS IN CREDIT LAW

9:30 am

  • Analysing the growth in consumer credit in Australia
  • The impact BNPL has had on consumer credit. Have we reached peak BNPL yet?
  • Regulatory Changes impacting further growth in consumer credit
  • Payment Method Shifts. Is cash dead? With young people embracing debit over credit cards are we seeing the start of the credit card decline?
  • The emergence and growth of P2P lending. How big can this sector get?
  • Consumer Behaviour Changes. In-app payments; adoption of e commerce platforms linked to debit rather than credit cards

10:00 am

  • Responsible Lending Obligations Under Scrutiny: Examining ASIC’s proceedings against Swoosh Finance and Money3 Loans for alleged breaches of responsible lending obligations, including providing credit to financially vulnerable consumers and the $6 million penalty imposed on Booktopia for misleading representations about consumer refund rights.
  • Unlicensed Credit Activity Enforcement: Analysing the Federal Court’s findings against Green County Pty Ltd and Max Funding Pty Ltd for engaging in unlicensed credit activity, alongside ASIC’s action against south-west Sydney car dealerships for similar violations, highlighting the regulator’s focus on licensing compliance.
  • Structural Avoidance and Unconscionable Conduct: Exploring ASIC’s proceedings against Oak Capital for alleged unconscionable conduct in structuring loans to circumvent consumer credit laws, and the implications of the Federal Court’s recent elaboration on business purpose declarations under the Credit Code (April 2025).

REGULATORY UPDATES

10:40 am

  • Targeting Avoidance Strategies– ASIC’s intensified focus on business models specifically designed to circumvent consumer credit protections, addressing regulatory arbitrage and ensuring comprehensive consumer safeguards.
  • Addressing Cost-of-Living Vulnerabilities– Strategic enforcement initiatives targeting predatory lending practices and unlawful debt management services that exploit consumers facing financial pressures in the current economic climate.
  • Enhanced Investigation Capabilities– ASIC’s strengthened approach to enforcement through expanded investigation resources, increased civil proceedings, and targeted actions against non-compliance in both consumer and business credit sectors.

11:10 am

Morning Tea & Networking Break

SCAMS

11:40 am

  • Regulatory Oversight and Enforcement Powers: Exploring the ACCC’s new authority to monitor compliance with the Scams Prevention Framework, investigate potential breaches, and direct businesses to implement specific consumer protection measures, with potential penalties of up to $50 million for non-compliance.
  • Mandatory Obligations Across Designated Sectors: Examining the five core principles that regulated entities must follow—prevention, detection, disruption, response, and reporting of scams—with particular focus on how banks and financial service providers will need to adapt their systems and processes to meet these new standards.
  • Consumer Redress and Compensation Pathways: How the Framework empowers consumers to seek redress when businesses fail to meet their obligations including the enhanced role of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) in resolving consumer claims related to financial scams.
  • Collaboration and Disruption: Discussing the importance of collaboration between industry and government in preventing, detecting and disrupting scams – with a particular focus on data sharing and the ongoing role of the National Anti-Scam Centre (NASC).

12:10 pm

  • The Shifting Landscape of Text and Social Media Fraud– Examining the proliferation of sophisticated scam techniques targeting consumers through SMS, WhatsApp, and major social platforms, with analysis of emerging patterns and vulnerabilities.
  • AI-Powered Scam Ecosystems– Exploring how artificial intelligence is being weaponized by fraudsters to create convincing deepfakes, clone voices, generate personalized phishing content, and automate attacks at unprecedented scale.
  • Technological Countermeasures– Investigating how financial institutions and service providers are deploying AI-driven detection systems to identify suspicious patterns, authenticate communications, and protect consumers from increasingly sophisticated digital fraud.
  • Regulatory and Legal Frameworks– Assessing the evolving legal landscape around digital fraud prevention, including recent precedents, cross-border enforcement challenges, and the development of new standards for platform accountability.

12:40 pm

  • Regulatory Evolution and Cross-Sector Accountability: Examining the Scams Prevention Framework legislation and how this creates new obligations for financial institutions to prevent, detect, disrupt, respond to, and report scams
  • Emerging Scam Trends and Vulnerabilities: Analysing the concerning 28% increase in financial losses to scams in early 2025 (reaching $119 million in just four months) despite fewer reported incidents, with particular focus on the dramatic rise in phishing attacks impersonating financial institutions and the persistent threat of investment scams that accounted for $59 million in losses.
  • Consumer Redress and Industry Best Practices: Discussing the enhanced role of AFCA in resolving consumer claims related to scams, the establishment of “clear pathways” to compensation when businesses fail to meet prevention standards, and how leading financial institutions and law firms are developing innovative approaches to scam prevention that balance consumer protection with practical business implementation.

1:20 pm

Lunch & Networking Break

PROTECTING VULNERABLE CONSUMERS

2:20 pm

  • Regulatory Response to Cost-of-Living Pressures– Examining how ASIC’s enforcement priorities and regulatory interventions are specifically targeting predatory lending practices and debt management misconduct affecting vulnerable consumers amid unprecedented economic pressures.
  • Vulnerability-Focused Design Obligations– Analysing the emerging regulatory expectation that credit providers implement vulnerability-aware product design, distribution, and servicing practices that go beyond traditional responsible lending obligations to address specific consumer vulnerabilities.
  • Technology as Both Risk and Solution– Exploring the dual role of financial technology in consumer protection, from AI-powered affordability assessments that better identify vulnerability indicators to digital exclusion concerns and the regulatory challenges of ensuring equitable access to credit in an increasingly digital marketplace.

2:40 pm

  • Understanding Financial Elder Abuse in Australia– Examining how financial abuse manifests in Australian consumer credit contexts, including coerced debt, unauthorized account access, and exploitation of older Australians’ assets.
  • Recognition and Response in the Australian Context– Identifying key warning signs of financial exploitation within Australia’s financial services framework, and exploring the roles of financial institutions in detecting and addressing potential abuse under ASIC and APRA guidelines.
  • Australian Regulatory Framework– Analysing current legal protections including the National Plan to Respond to the Abuse of Older Australians (2019-2023), the Australian Law Reform Commission’s recommendations, and ASIC’s regulatory powers to grant relief from certain provisions to help financial firms respond effectively to financial abuse.
  • Preventative Measures and Best Practices in Australia– Exploring proactive strategies for Australian financial institutions to prevent exploitation, including account security protocols, educational resources available through ASIC’s MoneySmart website, and industry-specific guidance.
  • Cross-Agency Collaboration in Australia– The importance of coordinated efforts between ASIC, APRA, the Australian Human Rights Commission, and the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services to develop comprehensive approaches to preventing and addressing financial abuse of older Australians.

3:00 pm

  • Specialised Lending Models: Examining how non-bank lenders are developing specialised approaches to serve vulnerable customers while maintaining responsible lending standards and avoiding predatory practices that ASIC has targeted for enforcement action.
  • Regulatory Compliance vs. Customer Outcomes: Discussing the tension between strict regulatory compliance and genuine customer-centric lending practices, with focus on how lenders can move beyond checkbox compliance to create meaningful financial inclusion for vulnerable Australians.
  • Credit Reporting Impact: Analysing how credit data reporting affects vulnerable customers’ access to financial products, including the implications of hardship arrangements on credit scores and future borrowing capacity.

3:40 pm

Afternoon tea & Networking Break

CREDIT REPORTING

4:00 pm

  • What changes will (should) the Richards’ review bring to the system?
  • Low hanging fruit to improve the system and create better consumer outcomes
  • Future of the industry data sharing code of conduct (PRDE)
  • Credit reporting and the CDR

4:30 pm

  • ASIC’s consultation approach
  • What relief has been provided to licensees
  • Consequences of non-compliance
  • Case studies

5:00 pm

Closing Remarks and End of Day One

7:00 pm

Conference Dinner

8:55 am

Opening Remarks from The Chair

James Moore, Partner, HWL Ebsworth

AVAILABILITY OF CREDIT

9:00 am

  • Market Size and Significance: Analysis of Australia’s $200 billion unregulated private credit market and its growing importance within Australia’s financial ecosystem
  • Historical Context: How Australia’s credit regulation has traditionally focused on protecting consumers from deceptive practices and excessive fees, creating exemptions that have enabled unregulated credit products to flourish
  • Current Landscape: Overview of major unregulated credit segments including the now regulated Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) services and private credit arrangements

9:30 am

  • Impact of Regulatory Frameworks on Credit Access – Examining how recent enforcement actions, ASIC’s 2025 consultation on low-cost credit contracts, and regulatory updates are reshaping lending practices and affecting credit availability across different consumer segments
  • Balancing Consumer Protection and Credit Accessibility – Exploring strategies for financial institutions to maintain responsible lending standards while ensuring credit remains accessible during rising cost-of-living pressures, with particular focus on ASIC’s evolving approach to debt management firms
  • Innovation and Technology in Credit Distribution – Assessing how market disruptors and technological advancements are creating new pathways for credit availability while addressing compliance challenges in debt collection practices and the evolving Australian credit landscape

EMERGING ISSUES

10:10 am

  • Recognition and Response Strategies: Identifying sovereign citizen tactics in lending relationships, including contract repudiation, pseudo legal claims, and the distinction between “government self” and “living self” arguments used to void financial obligations during enforcement proceedings.
  • Risk Mitigation Framework: Developing robust documentation practices and enforcement protocols specifically designed to counter sovereign citizen challenges, with emphasis on preserving lender rights while maintaining appropriate safety measures for staff during potentially confrontational collection activities.
  • Legal Precedents and Enforcement Rights: Examining Australian case law addressing sovereign citizen defences in lending disputes, including court approaches to immunity claims and the practical implications for secured lenders seeking to enforce their security interests against borrowers adopting sovereign citizen ideologies.

10:40 am

Morning Tea & Networking Break

11:10 am

  • Regulatory Framework Evolution and Market Dynamics– Examining how the RBA’s review of merchant card payment systems is recalibrating interchange fees, surcharging rules, and scheme fees, with direct implications for credit availability, approval processes, and consumer borrowing costs across Australia.
  • Digital Transformation of Payment Infrastructure – Analysing the intersection between traditional credit systems and emerging payment technologies, including how regulatory changes are accelerating the adoption of alternative payment methods and reshaping consumer credit access and utilization patterns.
  • Economic Implications and Industry Response– Exploring how financial institutions, merchants, and consumers are adapting to the new regulatory environment, including shifts in credit card rewards programs, changing consumer behaviour, and the strategic repositioning of credit products in response to the RBA’s policy directions.

11:40 am

  • Regulatory Transition and Compliance Challenges
  • Fee Cap Structures and Business Model Implications
  • Merits of opting for the default RLO framework vs the modified LCCC regime
  • Will increased regulation stymie the already weakening growth in the sector?
  • Competitive Landscape shifts and traditional lender opportunities to develop their own LCCC products

12:10 pm

  • Examining the implementation of Tranche 2 AML/CTF reforms: Extending obligations to real estate agents, lawyers, and accountants, and how these enhanced due diligence requirements create new verification pathways that credit providers can leverage for more robust customer identification and income verification processes.
  • Digital Identity Framework Integration: How the newly established Australian Digital Identity Framework intersects with AML compliance obligations, offering credit providers streamlined customer verification options while simultaneously imposing stricter beneficial ownership identification requirements that impact business lending processes and documentation.

12:40 pm

Lunch & Networking Break

Afternoon Chair: Shannon Adams, Partner, Piper Alderman

FINANCIAL HARDSHIP

1:40 pm

  • Evolving Regulatory Landscape: Examining the impact of the new Banking Code of Practice and ASIC’s enforcement priorities on financial hardship provisions, including the shift from guidance to obligations and the new definition of vulnerable customers.
  • Identification and Support: Exploring best practices for identifying vulnerability early, implementing effective hardship frameworks, and creating sustainable solutions that prioritize positive customer outcomes rather than merely avoiding poor ones.
  • Technology and Innovation in Hardship Management: Discussing how financial institutions can leverage fintech solutions to better support vulnerable customers while addressing concerns about business models designed to circumvent consumer credit protections.

BROKERS AND AGGREGATORS

2:20 pm

Mortgage Broking – the Path to Professionalisation

Dan Walsh, Head of Education, MFAA

2:35 pm

  • Joint Procurement Framework Benefits: Examining the ACCC-authorized program enabling banks to collaboratively arrange and finance aggregator assurance reviews, creating significant efficiencies by reducing duplicate reviews while improving quality and accessibility for smaller lenders.
  • Implementation Timeline and Industry Impact: Analysing the practical implications following the April 11 conditional authorization, including how the program affects aggregators’ compliance obligations, resource allocation, and their intermediary role between mortgage brokers and lenders.
  • Quality Enhancement and Standardisation: Exploring how the collaborative approach improves the effectiveness of assurance reviews across the industry, with insights from program architects like Elizabeth Avery on establishing consistent evaluation criteria that covers all brokers within aggregator networks.
  • Future Compliance Landscape: Discussing how this streamlined approach reshapes the relationship between lenders, aggregators and brokers, potentially influencing compliance systems, CRM integration, and regulatory support structures within the mortgage intermediary ecosystem.

2:50 pm

  • Regulatory Compliance and Best Interest Duty Implementation: Examining how brokers and aggregators are adapting to enhanced regulatory requirements, including the practical application of Best Interest Duty obligations, ASIC’s evolving enforcement priorities, and the industry’s response to findings from recent regulatory reviews conducted by both the MFAA and FBAA.
  • Technology Integration and Data Security Challenges: Exploring the digital transformation reshaping broker operations, including the adoption of new origination platforms, open banking implications, cybersecurity requirements, and how industry associations are supporting members through technological change while maintaining client data protection standards.
  • Industry Sustainability and Professional Development: Analysing strategies for broker business resilience amid changing commission structures, increasing professional indemnity insurance costs, and evolving accreditation requirements, with insights from MFAA and FBAA leadership on industry advocacy efforts and professional development pathways designed to elevate industry standards.

3:30 pm

End of the 2025 Credit Law conference

Sponsors

Major Sponsor Gala Dinner Sponsor Coffee Cart Sponsor

Pricing

Packages Price
Package(Two Days)$3695+GST
Packages Price
Package(Two Days)$2695+GST

Sponsorship & exhibition opportunities

The Annual Credit Law Conference, exhibition, and networking functions offer unparalleled opportunities to reach key industry stakeholders, senior decision-makers, and customers within the industry.

Don’t miss the opportunity to share your expertise and showcase your products, services, and solutions at this established industry gathering. Forge new business relationships, share your experiences and position yourself as a leader in the field.

Contact Andrew Sinkovich for a copy of the sponsorship & exhibition prospectus today!

Andrew Sinkovich
+61 2 9080 4308
[email protected]

Insights

ASIC outlines 2024 priorities at credit law conference
Read more…

Maintaining competitiveness in a high interest environment
Read more…

SME lending – a digital priority?
Read more…

How should brokers prepare for the potential arrival of the Best Interests Duty?
Read more…

Event Code of Conduct

We want everyone who comes to our events to have a great experience. This code explains our expectations and rules, which includes general good practice behaviour, and how to report anything witnessed or experienced that goes against them. Read our Event Code of Conduct here.

when & where

14 - 15 Oct 2025

QT Gold Coast
7 Staghorn Ave,
Surfers Paradise QLD 4217

SPECIAL ACCOMMODATION RATE
We have secured the Credit Law 2025 accommodation rate from $319* per room per night, including breakfast for one, for conference attendees at the QT Gold Coast for the nights of the 13-14 October 2025 inclusive.

To book this rate, click here.

* Room availability and rates are subject to availability and valid until 30 days before arrival, unless sold out prior.

Book early to avoid disappointment.

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contact

Still have a question?

General Information & Registration
Customer Service
+61 (0) 2 9080 4307
[email protected]

Sponsorship & Exhibition Opportunities
Andrew Sinkovich
+61  (02) 9080 4308
[email protected]

Speaking Enquiries
Vanessa Arnaoutis
Conference Manager
+61 429 055 521
[email protected]

Marketing & Media Enquiries
Francesco Giannetto
[email protected]

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