What We Do

Our work is driven by the vision of industry and consumers making better credit decisions. 

We aim to improve the availability of credit through responsible and efficient credit management policy and practice. We work with Members, government and other stakeholders to develop and advocate for best practice in credit management, and better availability and use of data.  

Our work is built on three pillars of advocacy, governance & guidance, and education. 

Advocacy 

We engage closely with Members and other stakeholders, drawing on strong relationships and industry insights to inform our advocacy on policy and regulatory issues that impact how consumer information is used in risk and credit management. Our advocacy work includes development of the consumer credit reporting system, responsible lending practices and regulation, and the Consumer Data Right. 

Governance and Guidance 

ARCA developed, governs and supports implementation of the business-to-business rules and data standards under which credit reporting information is exchanged between credit providers. ARCA developed and has subsequently varied the Privacy (Credit Reporting) Code which was approved by the OAIC and sets out the obligations and rights of consumers and businesses arising from the Privacy Act. We develop guidelines and other tools directed towards best practice in the use of consumer information in risk decisioning and credit management. 

Education 

We promote understanding and awareness around the use of consumer credit data among industry, government and consumers. With support from our Members, our CreditSmart consumer education campaign supports consumers to take ownership of their credit information and their credit health more broadly.

ARCA holds a number of Member-only and industry events through the year, providing opportunities for industry to network and learn about industry developments and practices. The ARCA Credit Summit ran for its eight year in 2020, and each year is attended by almost 500 industry professionals from Australia and New Zealand.