Security

When you invest your hard-earned money, you're looking for both a sound return and peace-of-mind.

So while striving to provide competitive and attractive products and services, we've also made a commitment to offer you quality, safety and security.

Our policies and controls have produced a consistent record of stability and growth and helped form a strong foundation for the future.

When making the decision to invest, the following facts may help answer some of the questions you may have:

Built on a Strong Foundation

Our history demonstrates a solid record of strength, growth and stability.

Investment Grade Credit Rating

Wide Bay Australia was assigned a long-term credit rating of “BBB-” by ratings agency Standard & Poor’s in November 2005.

“BBB-” is an accepted investment grade credit rating for Australian financial institutions and indicates Standard and Poor’s assessment of Wide Bay Australia’s adequate financial capacity (its creditworthiness) to pay its financial obligations.

The credit rating allows many institutions and organisations who require such a rating under their individual charter to invest in Wide Bay Australia’s range of term and on-call deposits. It also provides additional confidence to all Wide Bay Australia investors.

Wide Bay Australia’s achievement of a Standard and Poor’s investment grade rating is only the third such rating given to an Australian building society or credit union - with Standard & Poor’s recognising Wide Bay Australia’s strong performance over previous years; the strength of our lending and asset quality; our funding and liquidity position and lack of losses.

Supervision and Regulation

Australian Prudential Regulation Authority:

We are supervised by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) - as are other building societies, banks and credit unions.

APRA is responsible for prudential supervision - that is the promotion of safety and soundness by these institutions.

APRA provides a consistent approach to the supervision of both banks and building societies including capital adequacy standards.

Capital is the cornerstone of an Approved Deposit Taking Institution's strength. The maintenance of adequate capital reserves can engender confidence in the financial soundness and stability of the institution by providing continued assurance that the ADI will continue to honour its obligations to depositors and creditors.

APRA Infoline:	13 10 60
APRA Website:	www.apra.gov.au

Australian Securities and Investments Commission:

Another body responsible for protecting account-holders and shareholders is the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).

ASIC protects consumers from misleading and deceptive conduct, and also regulates matters affecting incorporation, corporate governance and disclosure.

ASIC Infoline:	1300 300 630
ASIC Website:	www.asic.gov.au

ASIC has also issued Wide Bay Ausralia with a Financial Services Licence (Number 239686).The Licence is required under the Financial Services Reform Act 2001. To hold an Australian Financial Services Licence, Wide Bay Australia is required to meet, on an on-going basis, the following criteria:

Adequate financial resources for the performance of our activities
Competence, skills and experience to provide financial services
Adequate systems for training and supervision of our representatives

Australian Stock Exchange Limited:

Listed on Australian Stock Exchange As a listed company on the Australian Stock Exchange Limited (ASX), we are required to meet strict reporting and disclosure requirements.

Our shares have traded on the ASX since 1994, and have consistently performed strongly.

Quality Lending Portfolio

A significant aspect of Wide Bay's operations is our lending activities.

The majority of our loans have been restricted to residential purposes secured by registered mortgages.

We also have a policy of insuring residential home loans - with a loan to valuation ratio (LVR) of 75% or greater - with lenders mortgage insurance - arranged through an approved and registered lenders mortgage insurance company. This insurance helps protect us against loss in the event of default by a borrower and provides additional comfort to depositors and investors.

Disclosure

We provide on-going disclosure and reporting required by various regulatory bodies.

We also conduct an Annual General Meeting each financial year.

Progressive results are available to depositors through a Half Year Report and details of the full year's activities are available through an Annual Report.

These Reports include information on our activities, statements by the Directors in relation to our performance, and a Report by an external independent auditor.

We are always pleased to assist you with your queries and provide further information.