6 May 2020
COVID-19 Timeline
What’s happened in the Australian banking sector during the coronavirus pandemic.
2020
![](https://dev.ausbanking.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Coronoavirus-thumbnail-735x405.jpg)
February 14: coronavirus assistance offered
![COVID 19 Relief](https://dev.ausbanking.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/covid-hero@2x.jpg)
February 14: ABA COVID-19 assistance hub created
![Banks respond to second government stimulus package](https://dev.ausbanking.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Second-StimulusWebsiteThumbnail.jpg)
March 11: Government announces first stimulus package of $17.6B
![Banks Small Business Relief Package](https://dev.ausbanking.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Rescue-Package-Website-Thumbnail.jpg)
March 20: small business relief package announced featuring 6 month deferrals
![Woman at computer with child](https://dev.ausbanking.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/covid-resources@2x-1.jpg)
March 20: mortgage relief announced – 6 month deferrals available for homeowners
![Banks respond to second government stimulus package](https://dev.ausbanking.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Second-StimulusWebsiteThumbnail.jpg)
March 22: Government announces second stimulus package of $66B
![Covid-19-FAQ-Relief](https://dev.ausbanking.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Covid-19-FAQ-Releif-Thumbnail.jpg)
March 25: COVID-19 FAQs published
![](https://dev.ausbanking.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Commercial-Property-Relief-Version2.jpg)
March 30: business relief extended to landlords and renters
![](https://dev.ausbanking.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Contactless-Thumbnail-735x405-1.jpg)
April 3: contactless payments to increase from $100 to $200
![Jobkeeper](https://dev.ausbanking.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Jobkeeper-Thumbnail735x405.jpg)
April 5: banks support JobKeeper – credit available to bridge gap till payments begin in May
![Credit Score OK](https://dev.ausbanking.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Credit-Score-Thumbail-735-x405.jpg)
April 6: credit scores secured – COVID-19 deferrals will not affect credit ratings
![SME Loan Guarantee](https://dev.ausbanking.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/SME-Guarantee-Thumbnail-735x405-1.jpeg)
April 8: SME loan guarantee begin – 50% govt-guaranteed loans, no repayments for 6 months
![Jobkeeper Bank Hotlines Now Open](https://dev.ausbanking.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/JobKeeper-Hotline-Thumbnail-735-x-405.jpg)
April 24: dedicated JobKeeper business hotlines open
![CovidSafe App](https://dev.ausbanking.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/COVIDSafe-App-Thumbnail-735-x-405.jpg)
April 26: Bank CEOs support COVIDSafe app – will download app and encourage staff to do same
![Debit Cards are Secure](https://dev.ausbanking.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Debit-Card-Delivery-Thumbnail-735x405-1.jpg)
April 29: voluntary debit cards for passbook holders announced
![Protect yourself against scams](https://dev.ausbanking.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Scamwatch-Thumbnail-735-x-405.jpg)
April 29: COVID-19 anti-scam hub updated, fact sheets in 12 translations
![Woman at computer with child](https://dev.ausbanking.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/covid-resources@2x-1.jpg)
May 8: 100,000 extra COVID-19 loan deferrals in a week – brings total to 643,000
![Mortgages deferred by banks now pass 429000](https://dev.ausbanking.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/400k-mortgagesWebsite-Thumbnail-735-x-405.jpg)
May 16: 1 in 14 mortgages have now been deferred – 429,000 in total
2021
![SME Loan Guarantee](https://dev.ausbanking.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/SME-Guarantee-Thumbnail-735x405-1.jpeg)
Mar 11: New expanded and extended SME loan scheme good for small business 80/20, 24 month deferrals, $250M turnover
Latest news
Australians are under attack from scams, part of a worsening global scams scourge, and all sectors need to ramp up the fight against these criminals, including government, law enforcement, banks, telcos, social media and crypto platforms and individuals.
The ABA welcomes the appointment of Michele Bullock as the new Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Governor.
The ABA acknowledges RBA Governor Phillip Lowe’s strong leadership of the central bank during one of Australia’s most turbulent periods, the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Australian Banking Association (ABA) has welcomed the launch of the Federal Government’s National Anti-Scam Centre (NASC), a key government and regulator initiative to help fight the scams scourge.