"There was one lesson from the [global financial] crisis I didn't talk about two years ago that is relevant to today: be careful of removing the stimulus too early," Mr Debelle said at the Australian Business Economists webinar today.

"A number of European countries learned this lesson to their cost after the global financial crisis.

"Absent the fiscal support, the Australian economy would be much weaker with the consequent economic and social damage."

Buying a home or looking to refinance? The table below features home loans with some of the lowest variable interest rates on the market for owner occupiers.

Lender

VariableMore details
Online ExclusiveUp To $4K Cashback Includes NOV RBA Rate Increase
  • Immediate cashback upon settlement
  • $2000 for loans up to $700,000
  • $4000 for loans over $700,000
Online ExclusiveUp To $4K Cashback Includes NOV RBA Rate Increase

loans.com.au – Variable Basic Cashback Home Loan (Principal and Interest) (LVR < 70%)

  • Immediate cashback upon settlement
  • $2000 for loans up to $700,000
  • $4000 for loans over $700,000
VariableMore details
Refinance OnlyApply In Minutes
  • No application or ongoing fees. Annual rate discount
  • Unlimited redraws & additional repayments. LVR <80%
  • A low-rate variable home loan from a 100% online lender. Backed by the Commonwealth Bank.
Refinance OnlyApply In Minutes

Unloan – Variable Rate Home Loan – Refinance Only

  • No application or ongoing fees. Annual rate discount
  • Unlimited redraws & additional repayments. LVR <80%
  • A low-rate variable home loan from a 100% online lender. Backed by the Commonwealth Bank.
VariableMore details
  • Up is 100% owned by Bendigo Bank.
  • Up to 50 offset accounts
  • New joiners get $10 by signing up to the app using code UPHOMESAVINGS. (T&Cs apply)

Up – Up Home Variable (Principal & Interest) (LVR ≤ 90)

  • Up is 100% owned by Bendigo Bank.
  • Up to 50 offset accounts
  • New joiners get $10 by signing up to the app using code UPHOMESAVINGS. (T&Cs apply)
Important Information and Comparison Rate Warning

Base criteria of: a $400,000 loan amount, variable, fixed, principal and interest (P&I) home loans with an LVR (loan-to-value) ratio of at least 80%. However, the ‘Compare Home Loans’ table allows for calculations to be made on variables as selected and input by the user. Some products will be marked as promoted, featured or sponsored and may appear prominently in the tables regardless of their attributes. All products will list the LVR with the product and rate which are clearly published on the product provider’s website. Monthly repayments, once the base criteria are altered by the user, will be based on the selected products’ advertised rates and determined by the loan amount, repayment type, loan term and LVR as input by the user/you. *The Comparison rate is based on a $150,000 loan over 25 years. Warning: this comparison rate is true only for this example and may not include all fees and charges. Different terms, fees or other loan amounts might result in a different comparison rate. Rates correct as of December 10, 2023. View disclaimer.

Mr Debelle's comments come after the Reserve Bank found that unemployment numbers would have doubled without JobKeeper.

Currently, both JobKeeper and the boosted JobSeeker rate are set to end in late March 2021.

Despite the cost of stimulus to the government budget, Mr Debelle said "public debt is very manageable", with public sector debt remaining low as a share of gross domestic product (GDP).

Private debt, however, remains some of the highest in the world, with household debt at 119% of GDP, second in the world only to Switzerland.

The 119% figure was measured in March 2020, and Mr Debelle said in that time household savings have skyrocketed.

"Household incomes have been boosted by the support through the JobSeeker and JobKeeper programs," he said.

"These have all contributed to a very large increase in household savings, further bolstered by the constraints on household spending through the period."

Earlier in the year, Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data revealed household savings ratios were at a 46-year high, and AMP also found household incomes were better off by $5,000, on average, during the pandemic.

Where to for older people?

Mr Debelle said lower mortgage rates have led to a 5% owner-occupier credit growth, but that had not carried over to the investment space.

"Investor lending had been declining, in part reflecting expectations of lower returns given weaker rental demand," he said.

Throughout the pandemic, many states made it illegal for landlords to evict tenants who could not pay rent. 

Mr Debelle also said lower borrowing rates tend to benefit younger people.

"Those who depend on interest income are generally aged over 65," he said.

"Back when the cash rate was at 1.5%, around 5% of these older households were earning more than one-fifth of their income from interest."

Deeming rates have so far not been reduced after the Reserve Bank's cash rate cut to 0.10% earlier in November.

The rates, which the government 'deems' pensioners' assets to be earning, are still at 0.25% on the lower threshold, and 2.25% at the higher threshold. 

The highest savings account rates are generally under 2% per annum, as seen in the table below.

Provider

4000$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details
  • Bonus rate for the first 4 months from account opening
  • No account keeping fees
  • No minimum balance

High Interest Savings Account (< $250k)

  • Bonus rate for the first 4 months from account opening
  • No account keeping fees
  • No minimum balance
010000$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details
  • Deposit at least $1,000 + each month from an external source
  • Make 5 or more eligible transactions
  • Grow your savings balance each month

Savings Maximiser (<$100k)

  • Deposit at least $1,000 + each month from an external source
  • Make 5 or more eligible transactions
  • Grow your savings balance each month
010000$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details
  • No account fees
  • Total ongoing variable rate of up to 5.20% pa by depositing $1,000 in the previous month
  • Easy access to your money

Saver Account (<$250k)

  • No account fees
  • Total ongoing variable rate of up to 5.20% pa by depositing $1,000 in the previous month
  • Easy access to your money
4000$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details
  • A high-interest online savings account with no monthly fees, easy withdrawals and award-winning digital banking
  • A great base interest rate of 4.75%

Savings Account (Amounts < $250k)

  • A high-interest online savings account with no monthly fees, easy withdrawals and award-winning digital banking
  • A great base interest rate of 4.75%
05001$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details
  • Maximum Age - 24
  • $0 monthly account fee
  • Earn bonus interest

Goal Saver

  • Maximum Age - 24
  • $0 monthly account fee
  • Earn bonus interest
02000$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details
No monthly fees
  • Download the App to open your account
  • Get better visibility of your spending within App!
  • Deposit $200 per month to activate bonus interest
No monthly fees

Save Account

  • Download the App to open your account
  • Get better visibility of your spending within App!
  • Deposit $200 per month to activate bonus interest
0200$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details
  • No fees or penalties for withdrawing money
  • Savings guaranteed up to $250,000
  • Maximise your savings and reach your goals faster with Auto-Savings

Bonus Saver Account (Amounts < $250k)

  • No fees or penalties for withdrawing money
  • Savings guaranteed up to $250,000
  • Maximise your savings and reach your goals faster with Auto-Savings
010000$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details
For customers aged 14-35 years
For customers aged 14-35 years

Future Saver Account ( < $50k)

    010000$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details

    Boost Saver

      Important Information and Comparison Rate Warning

      All products with a link to a product provider’s website have a commercial marketing relationship between us and these providers. These products may appear prominently and first within the search tables regardless of their attributes and may include products marked as promoted, featured or sponsored. The link to a product provider’s website will allow you to get more information or apply for the product. By de-selecting “Show online partners only” additional non-commercialised products may be displayed and re-sorted at the top of the table. For more information on how we’ve selected these “Sponsored”, “Featured” and “Promoted” products, the products we compare, how we make money, and other important information about our service, please click here. Rates correct as of December 10, 2023. View disclaimer.





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