Customers of ANZ Bank have expressed outrage and frustration following a significant service outage that has left numerous individuals without their weekly salary payments, creating immediate financial crises for many households across the country. The disruption has prevented timely access to funds needed for essential expenses such as rent, utility bills, and grocery shopping, sparking a wave of criticism directed at the financial institution.
Bank Acknowledges Industry-Wide Technical Issue
ANZ released an official statement confirming that it was experiencing delays in processing certain payments due to what it described as an industry-wide problem that occurred on Tuesday, 27th January 2026. The bank assured customers that the underlying issue had been resolved but advised against resending any payments, noting that delayed transactions would be processed as soon as possible. "We apologise for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience," the statement read, though this provided little solace to those directly affected.
Customer Backlash on Social Media Platforms
The bank's attempt to communicate via social media, particularly on Facebook, was met with a torrent of angry responses from customers detailing the real-world consequences of the payment failure. One enraged customer highlighted the severity of the situation, stating, "ANZ, this is not just an inconvenience. I've been waiting three business days for my salary with no clear update. Bills are overdue, late fees are stacking up, and customers are left to carry the financial fallout of your outage." Many echoed concerns about the lack of transparency and demanded concrete answers regarding reimbursement for late fees and other penalties incurred as a result of the delay.
Another individual pointed out the broader impact, writing, "ANZ – this is completely unacceptable. We processed staff wages in good faith and our employees still have not received their pay. These are people with rent, fuel, food and family commitments relying on that money being in their accounts when promised." The sentiment was widespread, with customers calling for faster resolutions and tangible compensation rather than mere apologies.
Root Cause Traced to Reserve Bank of Australia
The payment delays have been attributed to a technical fault at the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), which impacted direct entry and property settlement processes between 10am and 4.30pm AEDT on the same Tuesday. An RBA spokesperson confirmed the issue to AAP, noting the specific timeframe of the disruption. ANZ subsequently acknowledged the problem in a statement to Daily Mail, emphasising that payments were now being processed, though some delays persisted.
Bank's Response and Ongoing Customer Concerns
An ANZ spokesman elaborated, "Due to a Reserve Bank of Australia technical issue on Tuesday 27 January 2026, the processing of some payments has been impacted. Most of these payments from other financial institutions have already arrived in customer accounts or will do so today. Remaining payments will be credited to ANZ accounts as soon as possible." Despite this assurance, customers remain dissatisfied, questioning the bank's accountability and the adequacy of its communication during the crisis. The incident has underscored the vulnerability of digital payment systems and the urgent need for robust contingency plans to mitigate such disruptions in the future.
