Last updated 30 November 2022

The Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cth) (Bankruptcy Act) is administered by the Australian Financial Security Authority (AFSA), an executive agency in the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s portfolio. The AFSA is responsible for the:

  • administration of personal bankruptcy law and practice
  • the Personal Property Securities Register – an online government noticeboard of security interests in personal property.

The Official Trustee in Bankruptcy, the Official Receiver and the Inspector-General are each established under the Bankruptcy Act and supported by AFSA staff and resources.

The AFSA has a number of key bankruptcy-related roles, including to:

  • act as trustee for personal insolvency administrations
  • act as trustee pursuant to court orders particularly under the Proceeds of Crime legislation
  • act as special trustee for government
  • provide practical information about options to deal with unmanageable debt
  • preserve the security and integrity of a large volume of personal insolvency records.

Regulation of bankruptcy trustees and debt agreement administrators

The AFSA’s key roles in regulation and enforcement include:

People with complaints about trustees and administrators should contact the AFSA.