Final bank inquiry report with government

Banking royal commissioner Kenneth Hayne QC has handed his final report into the financial services sector to the governor-general.

Kenneth Hayne who ran the banking royal commission.

Kenneth Hayne will hand the banking royal commission's final report to the government on Friday. (AAP)

The final report from the banking royal commission is in the Australian government's hands, marking the culmination of more than 10,000 submissions and 69 days of public hearings.

Commissioner Kenneth Hayne QC has delivered his report to Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove in Canberra on Friday.

Government ministers and bureaucrats will spend the weekend preparing a response to the report's findings before publicly releasing it on Monday at 4.10pm, after close of trading on the Australian stock market.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says it's important for the coalition to at least offer up an interim response on Monday to help ensure the stability of financial markets.

Ensuring banks and other players keep lending cash will also be front of mind for the government as it works through Mr Hayne's recommendations.

"This is the lubricant for the Australian economy," Mr Morrison told reporters in Queensland on Friday.

"We don't want to see our lenders dry up because when banks aren't lending money, you can't build houses, you can't grow businesses, you can't see your export economies grow.

"Australians miss out and Australians pay the price."

But shadow treasurer Chris Bowen says the vital role banks play in the economy shouldn't be used as an alibi for bad conduct or criminality.

Mr Bowen says the government has "mismanaged banking policy", noting that Mr Morrison voted dozens of times against a royal commission.

"Scott Morrison has got it wrong about the banking royal commission at every single turn," he told reporters in Sydney on Friday.

Labor has taken issue with the government "sitting" on the report over the weekend, but Mr Bowen said now that it has made that choice, it must ensure there are no leaks.

Mr Morrison said the government would "in principle" support all of the royal commission's recommendations but wants to see the report before locking in a position.

The opposition has made a similar commitment.


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Published 1 February 2019 1:24pm
Source: AAP


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