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Earth Day takes place on 22 April each year, bringing people together worldwide to raise awareness of environmental issues and inspire action to protect the planet. The 2026 theme, “Our Power, Our Planet,” reinforces the role of collective action in driving meaningful progress. This theme highlights how environmental protection impacts everyday life, influencing the cost of living, public health, infrastructure reliability, and long-term stability. It also impacts food systems, water resources, energy access, disaster resilience, and economic strength. Throughout history, community involvement has been central to these outcomes across countries and political systems. First held in 1970, Earth Day began as a grassroots movement in the United States at a time when environmental concerns were gaining attention. Led by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson following a major oil spill in California, the inaugural event mobilised around 20 million people through rallies, teach-ins, and clean-up activities. This momentum helped drive landmark legislation in the USA, including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Endangered Species Act. Since then, Earth Day has grown into a global movement. By 1990, it had expanded to more than 140 countries, engaging over 200 million people and highlighting climate change as a global priority. Today, it is recognised as the largest environmental event worldwide, with more than one billion participants each year. With over 75,000 partners across 190 countries, Earth Day continues to educate, engage, and mobilise communities by creating accessible opportunities for involvement. The 2026 theme reinforces shared responsibility, particularly as increasing pressure on environmental systems highlights the need for coordinated, community-driven action. Businesses also play a vital role, with growing expectations to reduce environmental impact, adopt sustainable practices, support local communities, and maintain transparency. Earth Day 2026 encourages participation at every level, from local clean-ups and educational initiatives to advocacy and events throughout Earth Week (18–25 April). For more information on locating a community clean-up in your area, refer to earthday.org. Personal actions you can do to get involved: Choose a greener commute: if you usually drive to work or the train station, you could bike/walk all or part of the way, to reduce carbon footprint. Go plastic free for a day (or more): challenge yourself to avoid single-use plastics, bring reusable bags, containers, and bottles wherever you go. Plant something: Whether it’s a houseplant, herb, or flower, even a single plant on your windowsill can support pollinators and improve air quality. Do a quick home energy check-up: turn off any unneeded lights, unplug unused electronics, and swap in energy-efficient bulbs to save both energy and money. Mutually valuable banking for people and planet As a member-focused, values-driven organisation, acting responsibly and ethically is at the heart of our operations. We are committed to the ongoing promotion and creation of mutual value and strive to make a positive impact for our members and the communities we are part of. It is this sentiment that underpins our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Strategy - Mutually valuable banking for people and planet. We are always looking for ways to minimise the impact our business operations, and our products and financing have on the environment. Our head office was refurbished to improve efficiency and wellbeing and as part of our commitment to waste reduction, we repurposed much of our existing furniture. Remaining items were made available to staff or donated to Barnardos Australia’s child and family centres and Planet Ark’s City Recycling program. Newly installed water systems, upgraded lighting and presentation technology were selected to reduce resource consumption and improve energy efficiency. This complemented the office’s comprehensive four-bin recycling system for dry-waste, organics, recyclables, and paper - to help prevent contamination, reduce waste and minimise landfill.   We have also undertaken a Greenhouse Gas Assessment to better understand our emissions and identify reduction opportunities, completing our submission to Climate Active, an Australian Government program driving voluntary climate action. Last year, we offset 1,847 tCO2-e using 80% Verified Carbon Units (VCUs) and 20% Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs). Our Responsible Banking Policy guides our approach to lending and investing with respect to our ESG Strategy. It outlines how our members’ money is being used to contribute to a positive, viable banking model focused on meeting human needs and sustainability. We believe sustainable choices should also be affordable choices. Our Green Car Loan and Green Upgrades Loan are the latest additions to our impact product suite, making it easier for our members to take meaningful steps toward reducing emissions and saving on energy costs. Through our ESG Strategy, we have delivered a number of impact initiatives including recycled PVC cards and environmentally conscious collateral, accessible and inclusive service enhancements, our Essential Worker Home Loan, and Worker Support Benefits.

This Scam Alert is a joint warning from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and the National Anti-Scam Centre’s Scamwatch.   Recently, it's been reported by Scamwatch that criminals are committing fraud by taking control of mobile phone numbers or making unauthorised changes to phone accounts. Once they gain access to your phone, they can receive verification codes, reset passwords, restrict access to your systems, and get access to a wide range of services that rely on your mobile number for security checks, including: your bank accounts myGov subscription services rewards programs. Some people are at risk of mobile number fraud when their email account is compromised. Mobile phone fraud can also occur when scammers gain access to your ID documents or passwords through phishing attempts and following data breaches. Who’s at risk Anyone with a mobile phone number can be targeted by this scam. However, people who know or suspect they have been in a data breach may be at greater risk of being targeted. Warning signs to look out for Unexpected alerts about changes to your mobile account. Verification codes you didn’t request. Account login attempts or password reset emails you didn’t initiate. Your phone suddenly stops working, shows no signal or switches to ‘SOS only’. If you've been affected If your phone stops working unexpectedly or you notice suspicious activity, contact your bank immediately then contact your phone provider. Change passwords on all your devices and online accounts and notify your bank or card provider straight away. Monitor your bank statements and account activity for anything unusual. Need help? If you believe someone has gained access to your bank account and/or personal information, even if the scam appears unrelated to your finances, you should contact your bank immediately. A timely response can be critical. If you have concerns about your account contact us immediately. You can report cybercrime directly to the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) or National Anti-Scam Centre (NASC) – Scamwatch. Find out how scams work, how to protect yourself, what to do if you’ve been scammed or report a scam to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) via Scamwatch. Change your passwords and enable two-factor authentication to protect your accounts. As always, we remain committed to your security and privacy online. To understand how we help to keep you safe, please refer to our Security page. For more information on common scams and how to protect yourself, please visit the News section of our website.

On Tuesday 17 March 2026, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) announced an increase of 0.25%p.a. to the official cash rate.Following this, we have reviewed the interest rates applicable to our variable rate home loans and advise that the rates will increase by up to 0.25%p.a. for existing variable rate mortgage holders effective from 27 April 2026 and commercial variable rate mortgage holders effective from 1 April.Members with a loan account will be advised individually of any change to their interest rate and minimum repayments.Whilst changes to the RBA cash rate is one of the factors that informs our pricing decisions, there are other factors that we consider such as economic and market conditions, cost to lend and the competitor landscape. This helps us to assess and to continue to offer competitive rates to our members. If you would like further information on any of our products or services, please review the information on our website or contact us to see how we can help.

Recently, it's been reported by Scamwatch that scammers are advertising ‘free’ classes and creating fake social media groups on various platforms and search engines such as Facebook and Google for a range of activities including Tai Chi, dancing, walking, or hiking.   Once you join the online group, you will receive a call or message from the group administrator. You’ll be advised to download an app from a website to view and register for the free classes. The website may have a button or link to click to ‘Download’ the app from an app store but once you click, it will immediately begin downloading the malware directly to your device. This malware can access and steal your money. Who’s at risk Web and social media users People interested in free or new activities Warning signs to look out for Offers for free classes, activities, and events that require you to click on links, download attachments or install software. Calls or messages from "group administrators". Class locations and times not freely available. being asked to download an app from a third-party website. Need help? If you believe someone has gained access to your bank account and/or personal information, even if the scam appears unrelated to your finances, you should contact your bank immediately. A timely response can be critical. If you have concerns about your account contact us immediately. You can report cybercrime directly to the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) or National Anti-Scam Centre (NASC) – Scamwatch. Find out how scams work, how to protect yourself, what to do if you’ve been scammed or report a scam to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) via Scamwatch. Change your passwords and enable two-factor authentication to protect your accounts. As always, we remain committed to your security and privacy online. To understand how we help to keep you safe, please refer to our Security page. For more information on common scams and how to protect yourself, please visit the News section of our website.

Each year on 1 March, communities across Australia roll up their sleeves and take part in one of the country’s most recognisable environmental initiatives where volunteers work in small groups to remove rubbish from local parks, beaches and streets. Clean Up Australia Day is a community event reminding everyone that caring for our environment is a shared responsibility that requires collective action year-round. Clean Up Australia Day was first established in 1990, when Ian Kiernan founded Clean Up Australia to encourage everyday people to care for their local environments. What began as a grassroots effort quickly became a national movement, empowering millions of Australians to take practical action against pollution and environmental degradation. The message has always extended beyond a single day of picking up litter. The organisation works year-round with communities, governments and businesses to promote sustainable living and long-term environmental solutions. According to Clean Up Australia, Australia now produces around 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste each year, roughly 100 kilograms per person. Yet only about 13% is recovered, while 84% ends up in landfill. Even more troubling is the impact on marine ecosystems. Each year, an estimated 130,000 tonnes of plastic enters the ocean from Australian consumption alone. Scientists warn that by 2025, 99% of seabirds worldwide are expected to have ingested plastic, a stark indicator of how deeply pollution is affecting natural systems. These figures highlight a critical environmental challenge that cannot be solved by governments or individuals alone, it’s a collective coordinated effort by whole communities. What can you do at home? Reduce, reuse, repair, recycle, recover. Starting with these five simple actions can be a practical way to stop litter ending up in our environment and keep more waste out of landfill. To get involved in Clean Up Australia Day you can register a new clean-up, join an existing one (use the official interactive map to search by postcode or suburb) or donate at https://www.cleanup.org.au/. Clean-ups can be registered any day of the year. Mutually valuable banking for people and planet As a member focused, values-driven organisation, acting responsibly and ethically is at the heart of our operations. We are committed to the ongoing promotion and creation of mutual value and strive to make a positive impact for our members and the communities we are part of. It is this sentiment that underpins our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Strategy - Mutually valuable banking for people and planet. We are always looking for ways to minimise the impact our business operations have on the environment. Our head office was recently refurbished to improve efficiency and wellbeing and as part of our commitment to waste reduction, we repurposed much of our existing furniture. Remaining items were made available to staff or donated to Barnardos Australia’s child and family centres and Planet Ark’s City Recycling program. Newly installed water systems, upgraded lighting and presentation technology were selected to reduce resource consumption and improve energy efficiency. This complemented the office’s comprehensive four-bin recycling system for dry-waste, organics, recyclables, and paper - to help prevent contamination, reduce waste and minimise landfill.   We have also undertaken a Greenhouse Gas Assessment to better understand our emissions and identify reduction opportunities, completing our submission to Climate Active, an Australian Government program driving voluntary climate action. Last year, we offset 1,847 tCO2-e using 80% Verified Carbon Units (VCUs) and 20% Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs). Through our ESG Strategy, we have delivered a number of impact initiatives including recycled PVC cards and environmentally conscious collateral, accessible and inclusive service enhancements, our Essential Worker Home Loan, Green Car Loan, Green Upgrades Loan, Worker Support Benefits and our Responsible Banking Policy.

Unity Bank had the opportunity to attend the MEU Dust Conference held in Queensland from the 16th to the 19th of February 2026. It was an extremely insightful event with a variety of different organisations attending and representing their core business products and services.  Unity Bank conducted a prize draw, with one prize up for grabs.  Congratulations to our winner Kath, who attended the conference and entered our competition! Kath won a $200 EFTPOS gift card! We hope you enjoy your prize Kath!! We would also like to thank everyone who attended the event and visited our Unity Bank stall.