Financial literacy and financial literacy programmes in Australia

Abstract

Over the past two decades, interest in financial literacy has increased massively worldwide. One result has been a proliferation in the volume of research undertaken into financial literacy by government, industry and community organisations. At the same time, there has been on-going and burgeoning interest in financial literacy programmes by these same bodies, aimed at redressing some of the deficiencies in financial literacy they and others have found. Similar developments are evident in Australia, where regulators, industry associations, individual businesses (especially financial institutions), community groups, and not least, academic researchers, have all taken a keen interest in this important area.