Keynote Speaker and Industry Partner Presentations

Evolving Cyber Landscape

Our industry partner, BioCatch, recently provided an insightful update on the evolving cyber threat landscape and the unique challenges faced by financial institutions today.

As cyber threats grow more sophisticated, distinguishing between legitimate and fraudulent behaviour has become increasingly complex. BioCatch, a leader in the field, stays ahead of cybercriminals by continuously refining their processes. The fine line between genuine and fraudulent activity often leads to blanket anti-fraud measures that can create friction for everyday banking customers. BioCatch addresses this issue through advanced behavioural analysis, which ensures robust security while minimising the impact on customers.

Pioneering the use of behavioral biometrics, BioCatch monitors users' physical and cognitive digital behaviors to detect fraudulent activity. As a trusted name in the industry, BioCatch currently helps secure over 90% of digital banking users in Australia.

The Payments Landscape

Our industry partner, Australian Payments Plus (AP+), has provided an update on the evolving payments landscape.

The presentation outlined key AP+ initiatives aimed at ensuring the long-term sustainability of the payments system, fostering trust in the digital economy, and driving innovation in the digital payments ecosystem.

These initiatives include:

• Migration from the Bulk Electronic Clearing System (BECS) to the New Payments Platform (NPP): With a target date of 2030 to phase out BECS, AP+ is working to ensure that the financial sector transitions to NPP well ahead of this deadline.
• Enhancing payment security: By implementing Confirmation of Payee technology to reduce fraud and errors.
• Improvements in PayTo: Focused on increasing its adoption through features such as direct payments from bank accounts, real-time payment notifications, enhanced transparency over PayTo agreements, and consolidated visibility of all PayTo agreements in one place.
• Promoting cashless payments: By introducing lower-cost debit cards and adopting fixed-price surcharging.

Economic and Property Update

Cameron Kusher, Director of Economic Research at PropTrack, shared an update on the Australian economy and property market.

The economic outlook forecasts below-average growth, with high inflation to continue and interest rates expected to remain stagnant into 2025.

These factors have led to a fall in investments that is set to persist until the end of FY25, with a modest rebound expected in FY26.

Keynote Speaker: Cate Campbell OAM

Clients enjoyed “A Full Life”: an inspiring presentation by Olympic swimming champion Cate Campbell. Cate captivated the audience with insights into the mindset of an elite athlete, offering practical tips on preparation and motivation that are applicable to any pursuit.