Four federal agencies are most relevant to commercial debt recovery and credit practice in Australia. Each operates under separate legislation and has a distinct mandate; creditors, collectors and debtors all need to understand which body governs which activity.

ASIC — Australian Securities and Investments Commission

ASIC is Australia's corporate, markets and financial services regulator. In the context of debt collection, ASIC administers Regulatory Guide 96 (RG 96), which sets out the legal obligations of debt collectors operating under a credit licence, and issues guidance on unfair contract terms, hardship obligations, and the conduct of licensed credit activities. Collectors who are licensed credit providers or who collect regulated consumer credit debts must comply with ASIC's standards.

asic.gov.au: ASIC's main website — consumer and business guidance, regulatory guides, licensing search and complaint lodgement.
ASIC debt collection guidance: ASIC's dedicated page on debt collection obligations for licensed credit providers and collectors.
MoneySmart (ASIC): ASIC's consumer financial literacy website — plain-English guides on debt, budgeting and financial rights.

ACCC / ASIC Joint Guideline — Debt Collection Guideline for Collectors and Creditors

The Debt collection guideline: for collectors and creditors is published jointly by the ACCC and ASIC and is the primary compliance reference for all Australian debt collectors, whether or not they hold a credit licence. It covers permitted contact frequency, hours, acceptable language, harassment, misrepresentation, privacy obligations and the rights of debtors. Merion's own conduct is measured against this guideline.

ACCC — Debt collection: The ACCC's consumer-facing overview of debt collection rights, with links to the joint guideline and complaint channels.
Debt collection guideline (PDF, ACCC/ASIC): The full joint guideline document (July 2021 edition) — the authoritative reference for collector conduct standards in Australia.

ACCC — Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

The ACCC enforces the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth), which includes the Australian Consumer Law (ACL). In debt collection, the ACCC's remit covers unconscionable conduct, misleading or deceptive conduct, harassment and coercion, and the fairness of contract terms. Creditors and collectors can be investigated by the ACCC if their practices breach the ACL, regardless of whether a credit licence is involved.

accc.gov.au: ACCC's main website — consumer rights, business obligations, enforcement actions and complaint lodgement.
ACCC consumer rights overview: Plain-English guide to consumer protections under the Australian Consumer Law.

AFSA — Australian Financial Security Authority

AFSA administers Australia's personal insolvency system under the Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cth). When a debtor is insolvent, AFSA becomes the relevant authority: it maintains the National Personal Insolvency Index (NPII), appoints registered trustees, and oversees bankruptcy administrations, debt agreements (Part IX) and personal insolvency agreements (Part X). Creditors with a debtor who has entered insolvency proceedings must deal with AFSA and the appointed trustee rather than pursuing the debtor directly.

afsa.gov.au: AFSA's main website — insolvency information for creditors and debtors, trustee search, NPII search and online lodgements.
AFSA — Information for creditors: Guidance for creditors on lodging proofs of debt, attending meetings of creditors, and the dividend distribution process.
Personal insolvency options (AFSA): Overview of the three formal insolvency options — bankruptcy, debt agreements and personal insolvency agreements — for individuals who cannot pay their debts.

OAIC — Office of the Australian Information Commissioner

The OAIC administers the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). Debt collectors handle significant amounts of personal information — account details, contact history, financial circumstances — and must comply with the APPs when collecting, using and disclosing that information. The OAIC can investigate privacy complaints and issue determinations. The OAIC also administers the Freedom of Information Act and the Consumer Data Right.

oaic.gov.au: OAIC's main website — privacy guidance, complaint lodgement, Freedom of Information and Consumer Data Right resources.
OAIC — Credit reporting: How personal credit information is regulated under the Privacy Act, including the rights of individuals to access and correct their credit information.
Australian Privacy Principles: The full text and practical guidance for all 13 APPs — the framework that governs how organisations collect, hold, use and disclose personal information.

Related Merion resources

Merion's own trust and compliance documentation explains how we apply these regulatory frameworks to our operations:

Trust & Compliance — Merion's security posture, privacy practices and regulatory compliance overview.
Collection Practices Policy — how Merion conducts recovery in line with the ACCC/ASIC guideline.
Debt collection laws in Australia — plain-English guide to the regulatory landscape.

Regulators