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Privacy Awareness Week (PAW) runs from 4–10 May 2026 and highlights the importance of protecting personal information and building trust in how it’s handled. This global event encourages organisations, government agencies, and individuals to understand their privacy rights and responsibilities, while promoting better ways to manage personal data. This year’s theme, “Trust is built here: In every privacy complaint. In every resolution.”, emphasises that trust is built not just through policies, but through consistent, fair, and transparent actions should issues arise. In an increasingly data-driven world, personal information is constantly collected, stored, and shared. From everyday transactions to essential public services, individuals rely on organisations to safeguard their data. Privacy Awareness Week reinforces the importance of strong privacy practices. When people trust that their information is handled securely and respectfully, confidence in organisations and institutions grows. How you can protect your personal information Use strong, unique passwords always use a mix of uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols, with a minimum of 14 characters. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): MFA adds an extra layer of protection by requiring something you know (like a password or passphrase) and something you have (like your phone). Review privacy settings on social media, apps, and devices. Be cautious on social media: Keep accounts private and think before sharing, scammers can use your posts to steal your identity. Never share your password Be cautious of phishing attempts and unsolicited communications, if it sounds too good to be true, it likely is. Act quickly if your privacy is breached: Change passwords, notify your bank, monitor accounts, watch for scams, and check your credit report. Understand data collection policies before using new apps or services. Keep your software updated to protect against known security vulnerabilities. For more information on common scams and how to protect yourself, please visit the News section of our website, or alternatively the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) has a wealth of information and advice about protecting yourself online. As always, we remain committed to your security and privacy online. To understand how we manage your personal information, please visit our Privacy page. To understand how we help to keep you safe, please refer to our Security page. Need help? If you believe someone has gained access to your personal information, even if it appears unrelated to your finances, you should contact your bank immediately. A timely response can be critical in giving you the best chance to stem any loss. If you have concerns about your Unity Bank account, contact us on 1300 36 2000. If the scam occurred on social media or a legitimate website, report it to the platform involved. You can find more information around protecting your personal information at the Privacy Awareness Week website.

Each year on 4 May, people around the world mark International Firefighters’ Day. It’s a time to remember firefighters who have lost their lives in the line of duty and to thank those who continue to serve their communities.Firefighters play an essential role in protecting lives, property and the environment, from responding to emergencies to helping during natural disasters, their work often puts them in dangerous situations. This day recognises their selflessness, courage, and willingness to risk their lives to save others.International Firefighters’ Day was first established following a proposal by JJ Edmondson, a volunteer Lieutenant and firefighter in Victoria, in January 1999, after the deaths of five firefighters battling a bushfire in Australia on 2 December 1998.The date, 4 May, was chosen because it is linked to the Catholic patron saint of firefighters, St Florian, who is recognised as one of the first known commanders of a firefighting unit in the Roman Empire. This day is also observed worldwide as St Florian’s Day. A symbol of support The blue and red ribbon is a simple way to show support. Red represents fire and blue represents water; two elements’ firefighters work with every day. People may also attend memorials, community events, or take a moment to acknowledge firefighters locally and around the world. For many, being a firefighter is more than just a job. Whether volunteering or working professionally, it requires courage, resilience and a strong commitment to helping others. International Firefighters’ Day is a chance to recognise both their service and the sacrifices they make. Award-winning support As a member-focused, values-driven organisation, we are committed to the ongoing promotion and creation of mutual value, striving to make a positive impact for our members and the communities we are part of. Our Essential Worker Home Loan is a low interest, variable rate home loan specifically designed to recognise the contribution essential workers, like fire fighters, make to the community by supporting their home ownership journey with a value and feature packed product. Independently recognised as winner of the 2024 Finder Innovation Award in the Social Impact Innovation category and with three 2025 Mozo Experts Choice Awards, our Essential Worker Home Loan demonstrates our commitment to support those who support others.                                                It’s our way of saying ‘thank you’ to essential workers for the work they do in always serving our community.

The Customer Owned Banking Association (COBA) is urging Australians to be alert for scammers taking advantage of the fuel crisis through a number of sophisticated phishing scams. “Scammers are often trying to lure victims through the promise of relief or the threat of added costs. You should be particularly wary of unsolicited offers for significant fuel discounts or ‘fuel rebates’ that require you to provide the credit card details used at the pump to receive money back,” advised COBA’s Head of Financial Crimes and Cyber Resilience Martin Latimer.  He also urges Australians to be suspicious of text messages or emails that claim delivery or toll fees have increased due to rising fuel costs. In this scenario, the recipient is told their package is held up or their account is restricted until a small ‘fuel surcharge’ is paid via a provided link. While the requested amount is often negligible, the true goal is to capture your payment information once you enter it into their spoofed portal. “While the ways the scammers try to get you to act may vary, the underlying goal remains the same – the tactics have been designed to obtain your personal information, such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details,” he said.  “Phishing scams are a constant threat, and the only way to truly protect yourself is to remain vigilant with any type of unsolicited contact.  “Legitimate companies will never reach out via an unsolicited text or email to ask for your passwords, credit card numbers, or sensitive data,” Latimer added.  If you receive a suspicious alert regarding a toll, fuel rebate, or delivery fee, do not click the link provided in the message. Instead, navigate independently to the company’s official website or use their verified mobile app.  It’s also recommended to always check the sender's email address. While a message may look authentic, the actual email or phone number often fails to match the organisation's official contact details. “We are also expecting to see a rise in fraudulent ‘track the price of fuel’ websites. These platforms are often nothing more than digital traps designed to harvest personally identifiable information under the guise of helping you save money,” Latimer warned.  Phishing scams are designed to obtain your personal information or get you to click on malicious links. Always remember to Stop, Check, Protect.  If you have lost money as part of a phishing scam, immediately report the transaction(s) to your bank or financial institution and complete a report through ReportCyber. Even if you've managed to avoid losing money to a phishing scam, reporting it is still crucial. By sharing your story, you contribute to protecting others and stopping these criminals.  Report the scam to National Anti-Scam Centre - Scamwatch. Need help? If you believe someone has gained access to your bank account and/or personal information, even if the scam appears unrelated to your finances, you should contact your bank immediately. A timely response can be critical. If you have concerns about your account contact us immediately. You can report cybercrime directly to the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC). Find out how scams work, how to protect yourself, what to do if you’ve been scammed or report a scam to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) via Scamwatch. Change your passwords and enable two-factor authentication to protect your accounts. As always, we remain committed to your security and privacy online. To understand how we help to keep you safe, please refer to our Security page. For more information on common scams and how to protect yourself, please visit the News section of our website.

Earth Day takes place on 22 April each year, bringing people together worldwide to raise awareness of environmental issues and inspire action to protect the planet. The 2026 theme, “Our Power, Our Planet,” reinforces the role of collective action in driving meaningful progress. This theme highlights how environmental protection impacts everyday life, influencing the cost of living, public health, infrastructure reliability, and long-term stability. It also impacts food systems, water resources, energy access, disaster resilience, and economic strength. Throughout history, community involvement has been central to these outcomes across countries and political systems. First held in 1970, Earth Day began as a grassroots movement in the United States at a time when environmental concerns were gaining attention. Led by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson following a major oil spill in California, the inaugural event mobilised around 20 million people through rallies, teach-ins, and clean-up activities. This momentum helped drive landmark legislation in the USA, including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Endangered Species Act. Since then, Earth Day has grown into a global movement. By 1990, it had expanded to more than 140 countries, engaging over 200 million people and highlighting climate change as a global priority. Today, it is recognised as the largest environmental event worldwide, with more than one billion participants each year. With over 75,000 partners across 190 countries, Earth Day continues to educate, engage, and mobilise communities by creating accessible opportunities for involvement. The 2026 theme reinforces shared responsibility, particularly as increasing pressure on environmental systems highlights the need for coordinated, community-driven action. Businesses also play a vital role, with growing expectations to reduce environmental impact, adopt sustainable practices, support local communities, and maintain transparency. Earth Day 2026 encourages participation at every level, from local clean-ups and educational initiatives to advocacy and events throughout Earth Week (18–25 April). For more information on locating a community clean-up in your area, refer to earthday.org. Personal actions you can do to get involved: Choose a greener commute: if you usually drive to work or the train station, you could bike/walk all or part of the way, to reduce carbon footprint. Go plastic free for a day (or more): challenge yourself to avoid single-use plastics, bring reusable bags, containers, and bottles wherever you go. Plant something: Whether it’s a houseplant, herb, or flower, even a single plant on your windowsill can support pollinators and improve air quality. Do a quick home energy check-up: turn off any unneeded lights, unplug unused electronics, and swap in energy-efficient bulbs to save both energy and money. Mutually valuable banking for people and planet As a member-focused, values-driven organisation, acting responsibly and ethically is at the heart of our operations. We are committed to the ongoing promotion and creation of mutual value and strive to make a positive impact for our members and the communities we are part of. It is this sentiment that underpins our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Strategy - Mutually valuable banking for people and planet. We are always looking for ways to minimise the impact our business operations, and our products and financing have on the environment. Our head office was refurbished to improve efficiency and wellbeing and as part of our commitment to waste reduction, we repurposed much of our existing furniture. Remaining items were made available to staff or donated to Barnardos Australia’s child and family centres and Planet Ark’s City Recycling program. Newly installed water systems, upgraded lighting and presentation technology were selected to reduce resource consumption and improve energy efficiency. This complemented the office’s comprehensive four-bin recycling system for dry-waste, organics, recyclables, and paper - to help prevent contamination, reduce waste and minimise landfill.   We have also undertaken a Greenhouse Gas Assessment to better understand our emissions and identify reduction opportunities, completing our submission to Climate Active, an Australian Government program driving voluntary climate action. Last year, we offset 1,847 tCO2-e using 80% Verified Carbon Units (VCUs) and 20% Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs). Our Responsible Banking Policy guides our approach to lending and investing with respect to our ESG Strategy. It outlines how our members’ money is being used to contribute to a positive, viable banking model focused on meeting human needs and sustainability. We believe sustainable choices should also be affordable choices. Our Green Car Loan and Green Upgrades Loan are the latest additions to our impact product suite, making it easier for our members to take meaningful steps toward reducing emissions and saving on energy costs. Through our ESG Strategy, we have delivered a number of impact initiatives including recycled PVC cards and environmentally conscious collateral, accessible and inclusive service enhancements, our Essential Worker Home Loan, and Worker Support Benefits.

This Scam Alert is a joint warning from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and the National Anti-Scam Centre’s Scamwatch.   Recently, it's been reported by Scamwatch that criminals are committing fraud by taking control of mobile phone numbers or making unauthorised changes to phone accounts. Once they gain access to your phone, they can receive verification codes, reset passwords, restrict access to your systems, and get access to a wide range of services that rely on your mobile number for security checks, including: your bank accounts myGov subscription services rewards programs. Some people are at risk of mobile number fraud when their email account is compromised. Mobile phone fraud can also occur when scammers gain access to your ID documents or passwords through phishing attempts and following data breaches. Who’s at risk Anyone with a mobile phone number can be targeted by this scam. However, people who know or suspect they have been in a data breach may be at greater risk of being targeted. Warning signs to look out for Unexpected alerts about changes to your mobile account. Verification codes you didn’t request. Account login attempts or password reset emails you didn’t initiate. Your phone suddenly stops working, shows no signal or switches to ‘SOS only’. If you've been affected If your phone stops working unexpectedly or you notice suspicious activity, contact your bank immediately then contact your phone provider. Change passwords on all your devices and online accounts and notify your bank or card provider straight away. Monitor your bank statements and account activity for anything unusual. Need help? If you believe someone has gained access to your bank account and/or personal information, even if the scam appears unrelated to your finances, you should contact your bank immediately. A timely response can be critical. If you have concerns about your account contact us immediately. You can report cybercrime directly to the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) or National Anti-Scam Centre (NASC) – Scamwatch. Find out how scams work, how to protect yourself, what to do if you’ve been scammed or report a scam to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) via Scamwatch. Change your passwords and enable two-factor authentication to protect your accounts. As always, we remain committed to your security and privacy online. To understand how we help to keep you safe, please refer to our Security page. For more information on common scams and how to protect yourself, please visit the News section of our website.

On Tuesday 17 March 2026, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) announced an increase of 0.25%p.a. to the official cash rate.Following this, we have reviewed the interest rates applicable to our variable rate home loans and advise that the rates will increase by up to 0.25%p.a. for existing variable rate mortgage holders effective from 27 April 2026 and commercial variable rate mortgage holders effective from 1 April.Members with a loan account will be advised individually of any change to their interest rate and minimum repayments.Whilst changes to the RBA cash rate is one of the factors that informs our pricing decisions, there are other factors that we consider such as economic and market conditions, cost to lend and the competitor landscape. This helps us to assess and to continue to offer competitive rates to our members. If you would like further information on any of our products or services, please review the information on our website or contact us to see how we can help.