pc
nid 92544
May 15, 2026
kgurnani@vixio.com
Australia
The Treasury
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1537 charsAustralia's Treasury Launches Consultation on Reserve Bank Regulations 2026
On May 13, 2026, Australia's Treasury opened a consultation on the Reserve Bank Regulations 2026, which will remake the Reserve Bank Regulation 2016 ahead of its sunset on October 1, 2026.
The Reserve Bank Regulations 2026 support the Reserve Bank Act 1959 and establish the framework for secrecy declarations that members of the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) boards must complete. The Regulations also specify the government bodies with whom RBA officials may share protected information or documents. The 2026 update adds three new agencies to this list: the Department of Home Affairs, the Australian Office of Financial Management, and the Australian Signals Directorate. These additions reflect expanded information-sharing arrangements between the RBA and key government institutions. The Regulations otherwise remain substantively consistent with the 2016 version, with the update primarily comprising these agency additions and minor drafting improvements.
The consultation period closes on May 27, 2026. Responses must be submitted via the Treasury's consultation website. The Treasury recommends that respondents review the exposure draft and explanatory statement before preparing submissions. Submissions should be prepared in Word (DOCX or RTF) format, with PDF files accepted as an alternative. Respondents must agree to the Treasury's privacy collection statement to submit their response. For further information or technical assistance, interested parties can contact the Treasury at meg-mapd-maps@treasury.gov.au.
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1880 charsAustralia's Treasury Launches Consultation on Reserve Bank Regulations 2026
On May 13, 2026, Australia's Treasury opened a consultation on the Reserve Bank Regulations 2026, which will remake the Reserve Bank Regulation 2016 ahead of its sunset on October 1, 2026.
The draft is primarily focused on governance, confidentiality, and information-sharing arrangements connected to the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) new board structure reforms.
Key elements of the draft include:
Establishment of formal secrecy declaration requirements for members of the Monetary Policy Board, the Governance Board, and the Payments System Board. Board members must sign declarations agreeing not to improperly disclose protected or confidential information obtained through their role.
Specification of which domestic and international agencies can receive or access protected information under the legislation. These prescribed bodies include:
the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
Australian Bureau of Statistics
Australian Signals Directorate
Bank for International Settlements
Financial Stability Board
Basel Committee on Banking Supervision,
International Monetary Fund
New Zealand Treasury
Inclusion of transitional provisions, clarifying that the confidentiality and disclosure rules apply to protected information regardless of whether it was obtained before or after the regulations commence.
Importantly, the draft does not create new licensing requirements, does not introduce AML, prudential, or consumer protection obligations for firms, and does not materially alter payment service provider conduct requirements.
Instead, it strengthens the legal and governance framework surrounding RBA board operations, confidential supervisory information, and regulatory cooperation and information-sharing arrangements.
The consultation period closes on May 27, 2026. Responses must be submitted via the Treasury's consultation website .