Media

Here you’ll find our media releases and opinions about banking in New Zealand, along with our media appearances.

Media Appearances

NBR - Covid-19 loan scheme for SMEs a flop

- In making loans under the Business Finance Guarantee Scheme the banks were bound by the terms set by the Treasury, Bankers Association chief executive Roger Beaumont said. “The rules require banks to have customers provide security for loans under the scheme. Banks are responsible lenders. The loans are not intended to fail, which is why... Read more »
Media Releases

Loan relief offered for small businesses

- New Zealand’s retail banks are offering a range of relief options to small business customers financially affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, including interest-only loan repayments or temporarily deferring all loan repayments in some cases. “There are many small businesses that are being severely impacted by Covid-19. Quite a few of them are sole traders. They... Read more »
Media Appearances

NBR - Firms urged to go back to banks for loans

- “The fact that banks have lent $5.5b to businesses since we went into lockdown clearly shows they’re lending where they can. They still need to be responsible lenders and not everyone looking for a loan will meet the lending criteria,” Beaumont said. None of that $5.5b loaned by banks since March 26 forms part of the... Read more »
Media Appearances

NZ Herald - Covid 19 Coronavirus: Banks to charge as little as 0.8% on govt-backed business loans

- Data released by the New Zealand Bankers’ Association yesterday showed that since the lockdown began on March 25, the nation’s trading banks had provided 13,559 businesses with new loans totalling $5.5 billion, moved to either interest only or reduced principal repayments and interest on $17.4 billion of existing loans to 13,549 businesses, and that a... Read more »