Australians are going broke at the fastest rate since the GFC – Business Insider Australia

Personal insolvencies rose 2% in the March quarter, the fourth increase in a row, mainly due to bad debts in the mining states of Western Australia and Queensland. This is the first time there have been four consecutive quarterly rises since 2009, according to the Australian Financial Security Authority. Queensland and Western Australia, where debt…

Arrium lenders’ decision to replace administrators Grant Thornton disgraceful, acting Mayor says – ABC Online

Arrium’s lenders have been accused of looking after their own interests by forcing out the company’s chosen administrators, which could delay the troubled steelworks’ restructure. The steelmaker has debts of up to $4 billion and went into voluntary administration last week. Original administrator Grant Thornton was forced out after a Federal Court ruling yesterday…

Rise of the non-banks will generate competition – The Australian Financial Review

Non-banks have competitive advantages and disadvantages vis-a-vis licensed deposit-takers. Tanya Lake One of the most attractive investment opportunities in the years ahead could be non-bank lending in its various guises, including technology-enabled peer-to-peer (P2P) lenders. As regulators sensibly shrink excess leverage and risk-taking in the banking sector, they will inevitably open the door to heightened competition from…