The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) today released the results of its annual Points of Presence data collection, which provides a detailed picture of the face-to-face and electronic service facilities offered by authorised deposit-taking institutions (ADIs) as at June 2003.

The collection requires banks, building societies and credit unions to provide information on the broad range of banking services offered by their branches or other service channels. The information is categorised according to town or suburb, postcode and state.

The data were also analysed using the Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia (ARIA), which was developed by the National Centre for Social Applications of Geographic Information Systems (GISCA) for the Department of Health and Ageing. The Index provides a classification of postcodes according to accessibility and was used, where possible, to analyse the movement in service points from 2002 to 2003.

All information collected for the Points of Presence is available on APRAs website at www.apra.gov.au/Statistics/Points-of-Presence.cfm

The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) is the prudential regulator of the financial services industry.  It oversees banks, credit unions, building societies, general insurance and reinsurance companies, life insurance, friendly societies, and most members of the superannuation industry.  APRA is funded largely by the industries that it supervises.  It was established on 1 July 1998.  APRA currently supervises institutions holding approximately $1.7 trillion in assets for 20 million Australian depositors, policyholders and superannuation fund members.

Media and industry inquiries only:	Sue Morey Head of Public Affairs Australian Prudential Regulation Authority Telephone: 02 9210 3384 Mobile: 0438 124 524
All other inquiries:	APRA Contact Centre 1300 131 060