The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) has appointed Jonathon Hunyor to its independent board as a consumer representative, effective Jan. 1.
The move is intended to strengthen the board’s capacity to address consumer-related issues in financial dispute resolution.
Professor John Pollaers OAM, AFCA’s board chair, highlighted Hunyor’s extensive legal and advocacy experience.
“With his legal expertise and proven leadership in advancing consumer rights, Jonathon will bring a unique and valuable perspective to our mission,” he said. “He has extensive experience working with socially, culturally, and linguistically diverse groups, which is extremely beneficial for our work as an ombudsman service that serves all members of the community.”
Hunyor (pictured) is a practicing lawyer with more than 25 years of experience in areas such as discrimination, human rights, Aboriginal land rights, administrative, and criminal law.
He currently serves as chief executive officer of the Justice and Equity Centre, an independent legal and policy organisation focused on supporting disadvantaged communities. He also holds board positions with the Australian Pro Bono Centre and Community Legal Centres NSW.
Before his current role, Hunyor was the principal legal officer at the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency, where he led legal practices across the Northern Territory. He also served as director of legal services at the Australian Human Rights Commission and acted as counsel assisting the National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention.
Hunyor’s appointment follows the departure of Gerard Brody, who joined the AFCA board in 2023 and is now chair of the Essential Services Commission in Victoria.
Commenting on Brody’s departure, Pollaers said: “We thank Gerard for his contribution to AFCA, and we wish him continued success.”
AFCA recently finalised a three-year reform effort in response to recommendations from Treasury’s 2021 Independent Review. The initiative focused on enhancing AFCA’s capacity to resolve financial disputes efficiently and transparently while addressing key concerns raised during the review.
Deputy chief ombudsman Dr June Smith led the reform effort, which coincided with rising complaint volumes.
The program addressed 13 recommendations from the Independent Review and included significant updates to AFCA’s processes and systems. Key measures included:
Smith said the reforms were developed with input from stakeholders across the financial services sector.
