Australia has a diverse range of regional, city, state and international banks and financial institutions. The four major Australian banks are as follows: the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, the Australian and New Zealand banking group (ANZ), the National Australia Bank (NAB) and Westpac. Investment banks such as Maquarie Bank cater to the serious investor. As well community banks such as St. George are growing in popularity because of their flexibility and innovation. Industry based Credit Unions offer another alternative to the major banks, and you do not necessarily have to be a member of the industry to join.

Electronic banking is very popular in Australia and all banks have online banking facilities where you can access all of your account information, transfer money, pay bills and more. Credit unions tend to have less sophisticated and less established electronic banking facilities.

Banks are often keen to attract new immigrants as their customers, so they offer a range of special services for newcomers. AMR also offers expert third party assistance to help you with issues like, tax, asset protection and estate planning.

It is also possible to open a bank account in Australia before you arrive, by going to a branch of the bank in the country where you live, and providing 100 points of ID

Driving

if you are in Australia on a temporary visa, you can drive in all states on your overseas licence (provided it is current) for the period of your stay. This is provided your overseas license is in English (or you have an English translation).

If your overseas license is in a language other than English we recommend that you apply for an International Driving Permit, and do so before leaving your country.

When in Australia on a permanent visa, you can drive on your overseas licence for only three months, from the date you entered Australia or from the time a permanent visa was issued to you. If you wish to continue driving in Australia after that time, you must apply for a drivers licence in the state that you are residing in. Once applying you will be required to pass a knowledge test, a practical test and an eyesight test. Road rules and licensing regulations in Australia differ slightly from state to state, and it is best to enquire with the local state authority regarding the local rules of the road prior to commencing to drive.

Generally, drivers in Sydney are seen as the fastest and most aggressive, and drivers in Victoria the most polite and likely to say "thanks" for giving way. However, this article is written by a Victorian, so this may be biased, please decide for yourself!

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