John Symond, the very public founder of Aussie Home Loans, has joined the Australian Securities and Investments Corporation and Reserve Bank of Australia in refuting suggestions more competition is needed in the mortgage market, The Australian Financial Review reports.
While ASIC and the RBA both cautioned on the risks involved in artificially boosting competition, Mr Symond said the main reason for the Financial Services Inquiry to ignore a push to lift competition was an already strong market.
“The only area where [the big banks] want to compete vigorously is mum and dad housing – not credit cards, not business lending, not development finance – mum and dad housing,” Mr Symond said, according to the AFR.
“You don’t need any more competition in housing loans. Australian borrowers have got the best deal in the world.”
Mr Symond remains executive chairman of Aussie, which is now majority-owned by Commonwealth Bank of Australia.