Te oranga ā-ahumoni
Financial wellbeing
Te oranga ā-ahumoni
Financial wellbeing
Support the financial wellbeing of Heartland’s customers and communities
Supporting financial access, confidence and security
Heartland's purpose-led approach to banking is centred on helping customers achieve greater financial certainty and wellbeing. This includes providing specialist financial solutions designed around the needs and circumstances of customer groups that may not always be well served by conventional lending models.
Across New Zealand and Australia, Heartland’s specialist reverse mortgage and livestock finance products support access to finance at important stages of customers’ lives and businesses. During FY2026, this was complemented by initiatives focused on customer education, protection from scams and fraud, and research to build understanding of the financial needs of older Australians.
Protecting customers from scams and fraud
Protecting customers from scams and fraud remains a key priority for Heartland in New Zealand and Australia.
In New Zealand, Heartland Bank adopted the New Zealand Banking Association's new anti-scam commitments in November 2025 and implemented a range of enhancements to help protect customers and strengthen fraud prevention capabilities. Heartland Bank also continues to work closely with industry participants to support collective efforts to identify, prevent and respond to scams, helping contribute to a safer and more secure banking environment for customers.
In Australia, Heartland Bank Australia continued to invest in strengthening its fraud and scam detection and prevention capabilities through its new core banking platform, including the introduction of biometric authentication. Recognising the heightened threat that fraud and scams present to customers, continued investment in prevention and detection capabilities remains a key focus.
Supporting financial wellbeing through market insights
In March 2026, Heartland Bank Australia partnered with Deloitte, Gateway Bank and Enviva to publish the 2026 Australian Reverse Mortgage Survey, providing a comprehensive analysis of Australia's home equity market. The research highlighted the significant gap between the estimated AU$3 trillion in residential property owned by Australians aged over 60 and current reverse mortgage utilisation of approximately AU$5.5 billion, demonstrating the opportunity for home equity to support older Australians later in life.
By contributing independent, data-driven insights into customer demographics, borrowing behaviours and market trends, Heartland Bank Australia is helping to build understanding of the financial needs of older Australians and supporting informed conversations about sustainable retirement funding.