The Albanese Government is strengthening protections for victim‑survivors of financial abuse through reforms across superannuation, tax, corporate accountability, and child support.
Today, the Government has tabled its response to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services inquiry into financial abuse, supporting, or supporting in principle 58 of its 61 recommendations.
Financial abuse is a serious form of domestic and family violence that can leave victim‑survivors facing long‑term financial hardship, debt and reduced economic security.
The Government is committed to ensuring that financial institutions, regulators, and professional service providers play their part in preventing abuse and supporting victim‑survivors.
As part of this work, today we are also releasing a consultation paper on reforms to take action against perpetrators of financial abuse who use the tax and social security systems to create debts as a form of coercive control.
The consultation will consider options to provide targeted relief and better respond where coercion, fraud, or other abusive conduct has caused significant financial harm.
The Government will also consult on an option to provide the courts greater flexibility to transfer a taxor social security debt to the spouse responsible for financial abuse in family law proceedings.
This builds on action already underway across Government to combat financial abuse, including:
- Preventing perpetrators of family and domestic violence from receiving victims' superannuation death benefits, with draft legislation to be released later this year.
- Addressing coerced directorships, including protections for victim‑survivors pressured into company directorships and associated liabilities, with draft legislation to be released for consultation later this year and supported by ATO administrative uplift;
- Empowering the ATO to prevent rollovers into newly established self‑managed super funds, where there are concerns of fraud, financial abuse, misconduct, or potential consumer harm;
- Investing over $180 million to reform the child support system and close loopholes that facilitate financial abuse and coercive behaviour, including through legislation introduced by the Government in September 2026.
- Expanding Services Australia's powers to waive social security debts incurred as a result of family and domestic violence.
The Committee's report also included a large number of recommendations directed at the financial services sector.
The Government is working closely with industry to improve responses to financial abuse and support the adoption of leading practices across the financial system.
In October, the Assistant Treasurer will host a series of roundtables in Sydney with regulators, financial services peak bodies, professional associations, victim‑survivor advocates, financial counsellors and legal clinics to discuss the path forward.
The Government will continue to pursue a coordinated and evidence‑based approach that supports the safety, dignity, autonomy, and financial wellbeing of all Australians.
Quotes attributable to the Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services, Daniel Mulino MP
"Financial abuse is often one part of a broader pattern of coercion, control and abuse designed to remove a person's independence and limit their choices.
"The effects can follow victim‑survivors for years, long after the relationship has ended, through debts, financial insecurity and lost opportunities.
"We have a responsibility to ensure our financial systems cannot be used as a tool for abuse, and that victim‑survivors receive the support they need to rebuild their lives.
"That is why the Government is pursuing a broad set of reforms to better prevent financial abuse, support victim‑survivors and ensure our financial, tax and corporate systems respond appropriately when harm occurs."
Quotes attributable to the Attorney‑General, Michelle Rowland MP
"Financial abuse can leave victim‑survivors carrying debts that were incurred in their name because of the actions of an abusive partner. This is unacceptable.
"That is why the Government is consulting on an amendment to provide the courts greater flexibility to transfer a tax debt to the person responsible for financial abuse in family law proceedings.
"The change would mean victim‑survivors would no longer need to engage the ATO's administrative processes when they are already before the courts.
"This Government is committed to breaking down barriers for victim‑survivors, because our system should help them recover from family violence."
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Social Services, Tanya Plibersek MP
"Financial abuse is one of the many ways perpetrators exert control, often leaving victim‑survivors with debt, financial insecurity and barriers to leaving an abusive relationship.
"Every victim survivor who relies on our superannuation, taxation, privacy, and child support systems should feel like they can trust that the system will keep them safe. It should be part of the solution, not part of the problem.
"By strengthening protections across government systems, we're helping victim‑survivors rebuild their lives with greater safety, security and confidence."
Quotes attributable to the Assistant Minister for Social Services and the Prevention of Family Violence, Ged Kearney MP
"Harm often doesn't end when someone leaves a violent relationship, and financial abuse can follow victim‑survivors for a lifetime through debt, damaged credit, lost savings and superannuation, housing insecurity and the enormous task of rebuilding financial independence.
"No government system should ever become another tool in an abuser's toolkit. We have a responsibility to make sure our systems are safe, accessible and cannot be weaponised to cause further harm.
"We know family, domestic, and sexual violence can reach into every part of a person's life. That is why the Albanese Government is taking a whole‑of‑government approach; tacking financial abuse, improving housing accessibility, strengthening prevention and education, among many other areas."
Quotes attributable to the Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury, Andrew Leigh MP
"A company directorship should be a position of responsibility.
"Coerced directorships can leave victim‑survivors saddled with debts and liabilities imposed through pressure or manipulation.
"Our reforms will strengthen protections for people targeted by this form of financial abuse and provide a fairer path forward."
The consultation paper is available on the Treasury website.
The Government Response to the Parliamentary Joint Committee's report will be available on the committee website following formal tabling in the Senate later today.
1800RESPECT is the national domestic, family, and sexual violence counselling, information, and support service. If you or someone you know is experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, domestic, family or sexual violence, call 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732 or visit www.1800respect.org.au for online chat and video call services.
If you are concerned about your behaviour or use of violence, you can contact the Men's Referral Service on 1300 766 491 or visit www.ntv.org.au
MensLine Australia Services are available if you are concerned about your wellbeing, relationships, and behaviour on 1300 789 978 or by visiting www.mensline.org.au
Feeling worried or no good? No shame, no judgement, safe place to yarn. Speak to a 13YARN Crisis Supporter, call 13 92 76. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
