Contributor

Edmund Gale

Senior Lawyer, Victoria Legal Aid

Introduction to credit reporting

Last updated

1 July 2021

Most people think about their credit report when applying for a car loan, home loan or credit card – a creditor usually reviews a person’s credit report when assessing an application for credit.

Credit reports are compiled by credit-reporting bodies from information provided by credit providers. In Australia, credit reports aim to capture all applicable credit repayment history, rather than only negative information (e.g. if a person has defaulted on repayments). 

Australia has three credit-reporting bodies: Equifax, Experian and Illion (see ‘Contacts’). These credit-reporting bodies generate and hold consumer credit reports for people, and commercial credit reports for businesses.

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