Briefs: Statewide director banned, Abacus on the road

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission says it has banned a director of Statewide Financial Services from engaging in credit activities for five years. ASIC said Arthur Sperling, a Sydney-based mortgage broker, submitted ten home loan applications to four lenders worth $4.1 million that contained false or misleading information. ASIC said it cancelled Sperling's credit licence on the basis that he is likely to continue to contravene his obligations as the holder of a credit licence.

The mutuals' banking lobby is to take its "balance banking" campaign on the road. Abacus said its "road trip begins on Thursday, April 18, in Newcastle, followed by Cessnock on Friday (April 19th), with further visits to Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, Lismore, Armidale, Dubbo and Orange."

ANZ NZ said its internet banking and mobile banking services went down for almost two hours early on Tuesday afternoon, while payments to and from some ANZ accounts were delayed on Monday night. They were cleared by 8.30am on Tuesday, an ANZ spokesman said. ANZ NZ merged its systems with its National bank systems in October last year.