Roundtable Opens Public Consultation on Draft Vision for Account-to-Account Payments in Australia

Why It Matters

The outcome will shape the strategic direction of Australia’s core payments infrastructure, influencing cost, speed and accessibility for businesses, consumers and government agencies. Early industry input can accelerate adoption of modern, real‑time payment capabilities across the economy.

Key Takeaways

• Draft A2A vision released for public comment, deadline 22 May.
• Roundtable includes AusPayNet, AP+, RBA, and Treasury.
• Goal: safe, low‑cost, inclusive A2A payments infrastructure.
• Consultation builds on prior 2025 stakeholder engagement.
• Feedback will shape industry roadmap and deliverable timeline.

Pulse Analysis

The account‑to‑account (A2A) payments network underpins the daily flow of wages, superannuation, welfare benefits and bill payments for millions of Australians. Operated through AusPayNet’s Bulk Electronic Clearing System and the New Payments Platform managed by Australian Payments Plus, the infrastructure processes billions of dollars each year. Rapid advances in digital banking, real‑time settlement and consumer expectations are pressuring the legacy batch‑based model to evolve toward faster, more transparent and lower‑cost transactions. A modernized A2A framework is therefore critical to sustain economic efficiency and financial inclusion.

The Account‑to‑Account Payments Roundtable, comprising AusPayNet, Australian Payments Plus, the Reserve Bank of Australia and the Commonwealth Treasury, has published a draft vision for the system’s future. The document outlines long‑term outcomes—safety, reliability, low cost, ease of use and inclusivity—and sets high‑level milestones to achieve them. After extensive stakeholder engagement last year, the Roundtable opened a public consultation that runs until 22 May, inviting banks, fintechs, corporates and consumer groups to comment on the proposed roadmap. Submissions are accepted via email or directly to any Roundtable member.

Industry participants see the consultation as a chance to influence a national payments asset that will shape Australia’s digital economy for the next decade. Aligning product development with the envisioned standards could reduce transaction costs, accelerate settlement times and broaden access for small businesses and under‑banked consumers. The final vision, expected later this year, will feed into a detailed implementation plan that coordinates regulatory, technical and funding decisions across the public and private sectors. Stakeholders are advised to submit feedback promptly and begin mapping their roadmaps to the forthcoming milestones.