ANZ to pay $68 million to settle two class actions By Reuters

(Reuters) – Australian lender ANZ said on Friday it will pay a combined sum of A$99 million ($67.76 million) for the settlement of two class actions brought against it in 2020.

The first class action was brought on behalf of persons who entered into car loans issued under ANZ’s credit license between 2011 and March 2016, alleging “flex commissions” were paid to ANZ accredited car dealers by the lender.

Flex (NASDAQ:) commission arrangements allowed car dealers to set the interest rate and terms on car loans. The higher the interest rate and the longer the loan term, the greater the commission received by the dealer.

These commission arrangements were banned by Australia’s securities regulator on Nov. 1, 2018. The company will pay A$85 million to settle the class action related to the car loans.

The other class action was filed on behalf of members of ANZ and its former unit’s OnePath superannuation products, alleging that trustee of the pension funds breached its duties to members by charging excessive fees in order to pay unnecessary commissions to financial advisers.

The lender will pay A$14 million to settle the superannuation class action.

“The settlements are without admission of liability and each remain subject to court approval,” ANZ said in a statement.

($1 = 1.4611 Australian dollars)