Learn more about car loans for Indigenous Australians

Whilst there are no car loan products created exclusively for Aboriginal Australians, there are a number of government services and community organisations that provide financial advice for our First Nations people.

If you are looking for an Aboriginal Home Loan, you can find out more information about how this works here.

If you’re an Aboriginal Australian and you’re in the market for a car loan, here are a few services you might want to get in touch with for financial advice: 

• Mob Strong Debt Help (Australia wide) - Mob Strong Debt Help is a free legal advice service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia. You can call their Helpline on 1800 808 488 for financial advice. They provide free telephone legal advice about credit, debt, banking and insurance and may be able to:
  • Negotiate with your bank, insurer or other lender/debt collector
  • Help you to argue your case in a free external dispute resolution service (like the Australian Financial Complaints Authority - AFCA)
  • Represent you in court (only rarely)
  • Refer you to other organisations which may be able to help you, particularly if you have a matter in the court of a State or Territory outside NSW
• ICAN (QLD Only) – the Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network provides financial counselling services, funded by the Commonwealth Department of Social Services and the Queensland Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services. The service caters for all people living in Townsville, Cassowary Coast, Cairns, Tablelands, Cape York and the Torres Strait.
• Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) – ASIC provides free financial advice for all Australians, and has many online tools to help you understand what to look out for in the financial services industry. Its “Be Smart, Buy Smart” guide was written specifically for our First Nations people, to give you the insider information you need to make an informed financial decision. They have also created a page on their MoneySmart website specifically dedicated to sharing money tips for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Aboriginal Australians, just like all other Australians, may be eligible for a car loan if they meet the loan criteria. 

Employment status, annual income and expenses are all taken into account when you apply for a car loan, so it’s important to check you can make repayments before you apply for any financial product.

If you don’t think you will be approved for a car loan, do not apply. 

Signing a contract for a car loan that you cannot afford can negatively impact your credit score and make it much harder for you to apply for a loan in the future.