Learn more about personal loans for Indigenous Australians

There are no personal loans created exclusively for Aboriginal Australians. However, government services and community organisations can provide financial advice for our First Nations people.

If you want a loan to buy a home, you can learn more about Aboriginal home loans.

If you’re an Aboriginal Australian in the market for a personal loan, here are a few services that may be able to provide you with financial advice: 

• Mob Strong Debt Help (Australia wide) - A free legal advice service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia. You can call their Helpline on 1800 808 488 for advice about credit, debt, banking and insurance. They may also be able to:
  • Negotiate with your bank, insurer or other lender/debt collector
  • Help you to argue your case in a free external dispute resolution service (like the Australian Financial Complaints Authority - AFCA)
  • Represent you in court (only rarely)
  • Refer you to other organisations which may be able to help you, particularly if you have a matter in the court of a State or Territory outside NSW
• Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network, or ICAN (QLD Only) – Provides financial counselling services, funded by the Commonwealth Department of Social Services and the Queensland Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services. Caters for all people living in Townsville, Cassowary Coast, Cairns, Tablelands, Cape York and the Torres Strait.
• Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) – Provides free financial advice for all Australians, as well as online tools to help you understand finance. Its “Be Smart, Buy Smart” guide was written specifically for our First Nations people, and a section of its MoneySmart website is dedicated to sharing money tips for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

All Australians, including Aboriginal Australians, may be eligible for a personal loan if they meet the loan’s requirements. When you apply for a personal loan, the lender will look at your employment status, annual income and expenses. 

Before you apply for a personal loan, check if you can afford the repayments. If you don’t think you’ll be approved for a personal loan, do not apply. Having a loan application rejected can affect your credit score, as can getting a personal loan then being unable to pay it back. A bad credit score can make it much harder to apply for a loan in the future.