Westpac Group

Meet our 2025 Westpac Research Fellows! 👋 These two exceptional researchers from the University of Sydney and The Australian National University have been awarded Westpac Research Fellowships, receiving over $1.4 million in combined funding to support their groundbreaking postdoctoral research. Dr. Eve Warburton is tackling the global green energy transition by exploring how demand for critical minerals is reorienting development pathways and foreign relations in our region. Her research examines how Australia and its neighbours can collaborate for sustainable and equitable extraction practices—avoiding environmental and social harm while unlocking opportunities for a thriving ‘critical future.’ Dr. Olga Boichak is strengthening Australia’s digital sovereignty and networked resilience. Her work focuses on building secure, resilient, and technologically autonomous digital infrastructure to prevent its weaponisation in future conflicts, ensuring robust communication systems for the Asia Pacific region. Learn more about their pioneering research and how it’s driving positive change 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gEi3UD-7 #WestpacScholars #ResearchFellows #PositiveChange #DoingGoodIsInOurDNA 

With support from #WestpacFoundation, BackTrack’s social enterprise BackTrack Youth Works is living up to its powerful promise of keeping vulnerable young people alive, out of jail, and chasing their hopes and dreams. BackTrack, led by CEO Marcus Watson, a 2025 Westpac Social Change Fellow, is focussed on supporting as many young people as possible, creating more opportunities for at-risk youth. So far, BackTrack Youthworks has supported over 1,000 young people, with its job-creation social enterprise BackTrack Works training and employing almost 100 young people to date. Through this work, BackTrack is empowering the next generation to rewrite their stories and build brighter futures as they transition into independent work. Read the full story 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gSBVgFBb #WestpacFoundation #WestpacScholars #DoingGoodIsInOurDNA #Community #Impact

Westpac’s enhanced safety features and growing public awareness are helping to curb customer scam losses, although the high volume of activity is a reminder that the scammers haven’t stopped trying. In a new edition of Scam Spot, we look at the latest tactics scammers are using to dupe their targets, drawing on insights from the bank's fraud prevention team. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gAfnuM6U

Introducing the 2025 Westpac Future Leaders Scholars! 👋 Seventeen extraordinary postgraduate students from across Australia have been awarded more than $2 million in scholarships to tackle some of the nation’s greatest challenges and create a brighter future. This year’s scholars are making waves with bold ideas in health, sustainability, and global collaboration, including: ✨ A researcher transforming how society measures success in mental health and addiction recovery. ✨ A scientist using artificial intelligence to revolutionise how machines understand and interact with 3D spaces. ✨ A healthcare innovator revolutionising retinal disease detection. ✨ An environmental pioneer creating eco-friendly materials from Tasmanian wood waste. These leaders of tomorrow are driving positive change in areas like climate action, health advancements, and fostering stronger ties with Asia. Learn more about their inspiring work here 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gRPWezHh #WestpacScholars #DoingGoodIsInOurDNA

✂️ Sweet (rate) relief: millions of mortgage holders around the country breathed a collective sigh of relief this afternoon, as the Reserve Bank cut interest rates for the first time in four years - since the depths of the 2020 pandemic. But it was “a cautious cut” according to Westpac senior economist Justin Smirk, saying that although inflation has cooled, "[the RBA] are signalling that there are still concerns - about the very low level of unemployment, the pressure that is putting on wages... they are uncertain about when the next move is going to be." More on this story, now live on Wire: https://lnkd.in/gkfzNAyk

💔This Valentine’s Day, Westpac is shining the spotlight on romance baiting scams – an insidious hybrid of romance and investment scams. Wire spoke to Tracy Hall, author, advocate and the last victim of notorious conman Hamish McLaren (subject of the viral Who the Hell is Hamish? podcast) as well as to Westpac's Head of Fraud Prevention, Ben Young, for their insights and best tips on how to avoid hurting your heart, and wallet. 📹 Check out the video interview with Tracy below, and read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/ggyHh56R

Westpac will provide banking services to the Government of New South Wales for a further five years under an expanded contract that cements a partnership that has thrived across almost two centuries. Nell Hutton, Chief Executive, Westpac Institutional Bank, talks about the additional responsibilities the bank will take on under the new contract, while Head of Historical Services Kim Eberhard delves into the long history of the relationship. Full story: https://lnkd.in/grK3zQFX

In regional and remote Australia, Indigenous students are gaining access to new opportunities with the delivery of laptops through a collaboration between Westpac, St.George Foundation, ETHAN, and DeadlyScience Science. 🤝 This initiative equips Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students with tools to excel in STEM education, showcasing a shared commitment to equitable access and inclusion. Deadly Science, founded by Westpac Social Change Fellow A/Prof Corey Tutt OAM, is a 2023 St.George Foundation grant partner dedicated to advancing STEM education for Indigenous learners across Australia. #DoingGoodIsInOurDNA #StGeorgeFoundation #Community #Impact

Research shows that 45% of Australian kids aged 8-17 report being treated in hurtful or mean ways online, with those starting high school the most vulnerable. 🧑💻Today on Safer Internet Day, eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman - Grant sounds the alarm over the worrying rise in cyberbullying. Hear Julie's insights into the online playground, including tips on spotting online bullying and free resources and webinars for parents and educators, in our latest Wire piece ➡️ https://lnkd.in/ge6VAeYG

Westpac Scholars Trust is thrilled to announce its latest 2025 Future Leaders Scholars and Research Fellows🎉 This year, 17 postgraduate students have been awarded over $2 million in scholarships as part of Westpac Scholars Trust’s commitment to provide 100 scholarships a year—forever. These inspiring scholars are addressing critical challenges like climate change, healthcare, and diversity through bold ideas and transformative research. ✨ Two researchers from The University of Sydney and The Australian National University have been awarded Westpac Research Fellowships, receiving over $1.4 million in combined funding. With a total investment of $3.44 million in scholarship support, this remarkable group is set to continue shaping Australia’s future across fields like AI in healthcare, environmental resilience, and social innovation. We can’t wait to see what they achieve next! Learn more about the 2025 Future Leaders 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gRPWezHh Discover the work of the 2025 Research Fellows 🔗 https://lnkd.in/g89EgJkD #WestpacScholars #FutureLeaders #ResearchFellows #PositiveChange #DoingGoodisInOurDNA