Month: October 2025

Source: Airservices Australia

The Reserve Bank of Australia has today released a summary of findings from the latest triennial survey of turnover in foreign exchange (FX) and over-the-counter (OTC) interest rate derivatives markets that was conducted in the Australian market in April 2025. This was part of a global survey that involved central banks and authorities from 52 jurisdictions and was coordinated by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) to obtain comprehensive and consistent information on the size and structure of FX and OTC derivatives markets. Similar surveys have been conducted every three years since 1986 for activity in FX markets and since 1995 for OTC interest rate derivatives markets.

Globally, the Australian dollar is the seventh most traded currency, down from sixth in the previous survey, and its share of turnover remained stable around 6 per cent. The AUD/USD remains the sixth most traded currency pair globally, accounting for around 5 per cent of all transactions.

Activity in Australia’s FX market in April 2025 reached its highest level on record. The survey was conducted during a period of heightened FX volatility and a surge of trading activity following several trade policy announcements by major economies. Average daily turnover in Australia’s FX market increased by 34 per cent to US$201 billion per day in April 2025, from US$150 billion in April 2022.^[1] Australia’s FX market remains the the 11th largest in the world.

In the Australian FX market the majority of turnover remained in FX swaps, accounting for around 53 per cent of total turnover. Spot transactions accounted for 25 per cent of Australian turnover, up from 23 per cent in 2022, and outright forwards accounted for 18 per cent of Australian turnover, little changed from the previous survey.

Activity in the Australian OTC interest rate derivatives markets increased sharply since the previous survey. Average daily turnover in Australian OTC interest rate derivatives markets increased by 123 per cent to US$252 billion during April 2022, reflecting an increase in turnover of interest rate swaps.

The preliminary results of the global turnover survey are available from the BIS website. The final data and related analysis will be released by the BIS in December 2025. Links to other participating jurisdictions’ results are available from the BIS website. More detailed results for the Australian market are available on the 2025 BIS Triennial Survey Results – Australia page. The BIS will also publish global data on amounts outstanding in OTC derivatives markets in November 2025.

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Today, 1 October, is International Day of Older Persons.

Older people bring with them a lifetime of experience, skills and practical knowledge, and these attributes can make them resilient to fire emergencies and disasters. However, older people are disproportionately affected by disasters and often experience higher fatality rates compared with younger populations.

In Australia, people aged 65 years and older are 12.8 times more likely to die from weather-related events (including heatwave) than the general population. Older people are also at disproportionate risk of being affected by fire. 

It’s not age alone that makes older people more vulnerable – it’s the factors associated with advancing age such as impaired physical mobility, diminished sensory awareness, pre-existing health conditions, as well as social and economic constraints.

We have an ageing population in Australia and it is growing. The number of people aged 65 and over increased by 32 per cent between 2013 and 2023. Also, the number of older people receiving care at home increased more than fourfold – from 57,000 to 258,000 people over this 10-year period. This trend is continuing to rise each year in Victoria.

In terms of home fire fatalities, 36 per cent of nationwide fatalities between 2003 and 2017 were aged 65 and older. This pattern continues.

The My Aged Care providers, who deliver in-home support, are in a unique and trusted position because they work inside the homes of people at higher risk from fire. 

CFA has recognised this important link and we recognise that people who can’t prepare and respond quickly and effectively are at higher risk from fire. Since 2019 we have invested more in programs to upskill and engage the care workforce.

The CFA Community Engagement team works to improve how we engage and connect with older people and their informal and formal supports through:

• Partnerships at a state level with National Disability Services, Ageing Australia, VCOSS and COTA (Council on the Ageing) Australia
• Advocacy to My Aged Care at a national level in partnership with FRV  
• Online training for support workers and carers
• In-person engagement at expos, conferences and events such as Ageing Well Expo with the FRV At-Risk Groups team
• Direct engagement with older people, carers and formal providers and people who contact CFA for support.

CFA volunteers also deliver a smoke alarm installation service for people at higher risk, installing 2,680 smoke alarms in 1,047 households across Victoria last financial year. CFA targets the service to older people through follow-up visits from fire safety sessions with community groups, referrals from support services, and brigade members’ local community knowledge.

A recent survey of community members who had received the smoke alarm installation service showed that 92 per cent of recipients were aged 65 or older.

CFA members can play a role locally to help older people by:

• promoting the online learning modules and resources to their local care providers and carers
• engaging local care and health providers so they know who to contact locally at CFA
• attending a local disability and/or seniors expo or event to engage people about fire safety.

Deputy Chief Officer Brett Boatman

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services