Australian Banking Statistics is published monthly to provide bank depositors and other interested parties with details of individual bank's assets and liabilities. The September issue also includes details of the balance sheet and annual profit and loss statement of each bank incorporated in Australia.

On 1 July 1998, amendments to the Banking Act 1959 transferred responsibility for the supervision and regulation of banks from the Reserve Bank of Australia to the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA). As a consequence, Australian Banking Statistics will be prepared by APRA from now on.

To make the data as relevant and accessible as possible:

• APRA has brought forward the publication of Australian Banking Statistics to coincide with the publication of the Reserve Bank's Financial Aggregates Media Release.
• APRA has made Australian Banking Statistics available on its Web site at http://www.apra.gov.au/banks/abs. Complete copies are available in portable document format; individual tables are available as spreadsheets. Upon request, APRA will issue you with a notice of publication by e-mail.

Enquiries regarding Australian Banking Statistics may be made by e-mail to info@apra.gov.au; by post to the Information Office at the address above; or by telephone on (02) 9210 3286. Printed copies may be purchased for A$2; annual subscriptions cost A$20. Additional charges apply for overseas airmail.