Payday loans in Australia

Payday loans in Australia are part of the small loans market, which was estimated in 2008 to be between $800m and $1bn a year, although it seems likely that the true market was and currently is higher than this.

The growth of this market mirrors the growth in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Because the market for small loans is becoming more defined, the regulatory authorities and the larger financial organizations are beginning to take a much closer interest.

Most fringe lending is now covered by the Uniform Consumer Credit Code (UCCC);^[1] but, in the past this industry was not very highly regulated, and some lenders still continue to use loopholes to avoid the UCCC.

New South Wales and Queensland have imposed a 48%-APR maximum loan rate, including fees and brokerage.^[2][3]

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