In 2019, the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry recommended that a national scheme of farm debt mediation (FDM) be enacted.
The Australian Government has consulted with state and territory governments about developing a harmonised approach to FDM.
Currently, New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia have legislated FDM schemes in place. Western Australia also operates a voluntary scheme.
Further information on established state government approaches to FDM can be found at:
A comparison summary of state FDM schemes has been prepared to assist stakeholders operating across multiple states to navigate the differences in approaches.
National better practice guide for FDM
To improve the consistency of FDM arrangements, a national better practice guide has been developed in consultation with stakeholders. The guide outlines key principles to consider when dealing with FDM or financial difficulty, more broadly. These principles aim to achieve more consistent and efficient outcomes for farmers and lenders going through the FDM process.
Download national better practice guide
National better practice guide for farm debt mediation (PDF 788 KB)
National better practice guide for farm debt mediation (DOCX 1.17 MB)
Download summary for farmers
The guide is summarised in our national better practice guide for FDM summary for farmers.
National better practice guide for farm debt mediation - Summary for farmers (PDF 256 KB)
National better practice guide for farm debt mediation - Summary for farmers (DOCX 148 KB)
If you have difficulty accessing these files, visit web accessibility for assistance.