As Australia’s prudential regulator, APRA’s mandate is to promote the safety and stability of the financial system. This objective is critical to the Australian community’s financial wellbeing and the long-term growth of the Australian economy. 

APRA does not pursue a ‘safety at all costs’ agenda. Our prudential framework, by design, is aimed at minimising undue costs of regulation for industry. Our standards and supervisory practices ensure that financial institutions can fulfil their vital and productive roles in the economy, supporting long-run growth and investment.

This Corporate Plan sets out APRA’s strategic priorities for the next four years. It reflects our continued commitment to upholding a safe and stable financial system, while minimising regulatory costs for industry and improving our own organisational effectiveness. 

Australians continue to benefit from the resilience of the banks, insurers and superannuation trustees that APRA oversees. Strong capital, liquidity and prudential safeguards mean our financial system has been able to weather current global shocks and continue providing critical services to households and businesses. 

However, new and more complex challenges lie ahead. Heightened geopolitical tensions, interconnectedness and rapid technological developments, such as frontier Artificial Intelligence (AI) models, have the potential to create more severe disruptions. To maintain a resilient financial system – one that can absorb shocks and limit their impact – risk management practices need to be further strengthened. 

Internally, it is critical that we improve our own efficiency and effectiveness. As the operating environment becomes more challenging and dynamic, we too need to expand our skills, increase our speed and invest in new ways of working. To ensure APRA is ready to face future challenges, we have set ourselves an ambitious organisational change agenda. Our aim is to make APRA a more agile and dynamic organisation. 

Over the coming year, we will engage closely with industry and other stakeholders as we deliver our strategic priorities. We will continue to work with Government on legislative reforms and coordinate with regulatory peers to strengthen our impact in areas of common interest.  

As we face into the challenges the next year will bring, I look forward to working with a team of very committed colleagues at APRA to deliver on this Corporate Plan.

APRA’s 2026-27 Corporate Plan covers the period from 2026-27 to 2029-30. It has been prepared in accordance with section 35(1)(b) of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act).

John Lonsdale  

Chair