AFSA publish official quarterly and annual personal insolvency statistics on bankruptcies, debt agreements and personal insolvency agreements for all states and territories.
From the June quarter 2023, the publication also released Greater Capital Cities Statistical Area (GCCSA) and Statistical Area Level 3 (SA3) breakdown of the number of debtors with business and non-business related personal insolvencies on a quarterly basis, using the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS).
Bankruptcy is a process where people who cannot pay their debts become bankrupt to receive the protection of the Bankruptcy Act 1966 and their estate is administered by a trustee. It allows for the fair distribution of property among creditors and the prosecution of dishonest debtors.
A debt agreement is an arrangement between a person who cannot pay their debts and their creditors. It is a formal arrangement under Part IX of the Bankruptcy Act. A debt agreement results from creditors voting to accept a proposal from a debtor to settle their debts. To be eligible to propose a debt agreement, a debtor must be insolvent and meet threshold levels relating to unsecured debts and assets and after-tax income.
Personal insolvency agreement (PIA): under Part X of the Bankruptcy Act, a personal insolvency agreement results from creditors accepting a debtor’s proposal to settle his or her debts. Unlike debt agreements, personal insolvency agreements are not subject to income, asset or debt thresholds.
Please see our guide to learn more about the provisional personal insolvency statistics