Opinion

This banker email shows Dutton is right on ESG going too far

A construction company received a 37-point compliance list before funding would be considered, in addition to the standard credit application.

John KehoeEconomics editor

Feb 19, 2025 – 4.39pm

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Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has a valid complaint that banks and governments are smothering business borrowers in red and green tape.

The regulatory overreach is imposing higher compliance costs on business, undermining the ease of accessing credit to grow and stifling productivity by forcing firms to hire armies of compliance and ESG officers.

John Kehoe is economics editor at Parliament House, Canberra. He writes on economics, politics and business. John was Washington correspondent covering Donald Trump’s first election. He joined the Financial Review in 2008 from Treasury.