News

We are fast approaching 50 years since the Archdiocesan Development Fund (ADF) was established. Our genesis in 1969, commenced with an uncomplicated focus to fund Church works and to generate funds to support the needs of the Archdiocesan community. Since that time our community has grown in size and complexity, and the ADF has successfully adapted to meet the changing needs of customers.

But it’s time for a new ADF and we are delighted to launch a new ADF logo concurrently with the publication of this year’s Annual Report. We move forward with a fresh, contemporary logo, building on the past and looking to the future.

In the coming weeks the ADF website and ADF Online will be rebranded and enhanced to improve customer experience. We look forward to your feedback.

The ADF is continuously seeking to enhance our customers experience and improve and simplify processes. The ADF has reviewed the current process for administering Direct Debits and has created a dedicated Direct Debit inbox and email address. All Direct Debit related forms and enquiries can now be directed to directdebits@bne.catholic.net.au and will be attended to by one of our direct debit specialists.

To further assist customers with streamlining their Direct Debit process, if the Direct Debit Request (DDR) form is emailed or faxed to us, we no longer require the original form to then be posted to us. Once the DDR form has been emailed or faxed, the original simply needs to be securely retained by the customer for the life of the Direct Debit.

MasterCard hosted an entertaining and informative Qkr Innovation Seminar on May 19 2016 at the Sofitel in Brisbane for customers of the ADF who have taken up Qkr.

A number of ADF customers were presented with awards by MasterCard for achievement in the following categories for the successful adoption of Qkr at their school. It appears that Qkr has been an innovative solution in the schools that have chosen to trial this option for parent payments.

Highest Adoption by School Community 2016:
St Ambrose’s Primary School Newmarket

Most Successful Launch 2016:
Sacred Heart Parish School Booval

Fastest Growing School 2016 – Active Users:
St Peter Claver College Riverview

Fastest Growing School 2016 – Transactions:
St Kevin’s School Benowa

Highest order value 2016:
Brigidine College Indooroopilly

Widest range of products 2016:
Mt Maria College Mitchelton

Most Active Tuckshop 2016:
St Francis Xavier Catholic School Runaway Bay

Most Active Uniform Shop 2016:
Our Lady of Lourdes Primary Sunnybank

Most Active School Payments 2016:
Marist College Ashgrove

Congratulations to all our winners.

Last year, the ADF informed users of the APF-style deposit book (for cheque accounts) that this product would be discontinued.

This was due to issues with new technology implemented by the Commonwealth Bank. Its “express” branches now only accept the current Agent deposit book product. We have been issuing the new style deposit book when APF re-order requests are received and urging customers to order replacement Agent deposit books when replacement stock is needed for their cheque account.

The ADF is aiming to finalise this transition by June 2016.

If you require a replacement book or have queries regarding the new style of deposit books please do not hesitate to contact either Tara Neilson (07 3324 3766 direct), Mike Nuttall (07 3324 3763 direct) or email adfmail@bne.catholic.net.au.

To transition to the new style, please email us at adfmail@bne.catholic.net.au with details of each account for which you require the deposit book and the quantity required. We will forward these to you as soon as possible. There is no cost for this transition.

Agent deposit book style to be used moving forward:

Old APF-style deposit book being discontinued:

The Commonwealth Bank has advised that their Group Security team has detected fraudulent transactions on a small number of Commonwealth Bank corporate credit cards belonging to ADF customers.

An example fraudulent transaction included the description “ALDO SHOES 514-7472536 DE ##0116”. We understand that fraudulent transactions have been made at a range of online merchants in the United States.

The affected cards have been blocked and new cards are being issued with priority. The ADF is in the process of contacting the affected cardholders. Replacement cards should be received within 5 working days of re-issue. Unfortunately this protective measure will result in transactions being declined on the affected Commonwealth Bank corporate cards to help block suspected fraudulent transactions being processed.

The Commonwealth Bank is working to lodge a dispute on our customers’ behalf for any identified fraudulent transactions that relate to this incident over the next 10-15 business days. Affected cardholders should ensure they receive a refund and that a new card is issued.

Please contact the ADF for assistance if you notice any suspicious activity on your Commonwealth Bank corporate card.

With the start of the school year, the ADF is processing thousands of direct debit forms each week.

We take the opportunity to remind our school customers that only direct debit forms that need to be processed urgently (i.e., with effective date starting within 7 working days of the first payment date) be emailed to the ADF. We are discovering that printing and sorting the large number of direct debits we are receiving by email is more challenging than expected.

It would be greatly appreciated if customers could please submit the bulk of direct debit forms by postal mail, reserving email for only those within 7 working days of the first payment date.

Thanks for your continued support.

Important note: the message below was initially posted on the 23rd of October 2015. Subsequently the CommBank put the changes on hold until the new year. We have now been advised these changes will commence on the 8th of February 2016.

The Commonwealth Bank will be centralising courier banking deliveries to specific branches within Brisbane and Gold Coast from Monday 8 February 2016. These new requirements only apply where the courier/staff member/volunteer drops off a sealed satchel and requires a stamped receipt before leaving the deposit at the branch for processing.

Should you utilise a courier/staff member/volunteer who needs a stamped receipt before leaving, they will need to take the deposit to one of the following designated branches nearest to you.

Brisbane Branches

• North Lakes
• Virginia
• 240 Queen St Brisbane
• Hamilton
• Carindale
• Beenleigh
• Ipswich
• Mount Ommaney
• Acacia Ridge

Gold Coast Branches

• Tweed Mall
• Stockland Burleigh
• Southport

It does not apply in the following circumstances:-

• The courier/staff member/volunteer waits whilst the Bank counts the deposit;
• Bank issued quick cash bags are utilised and the courier/staff member/ volunteer drops them in the designated chute; or
• Where a staff member or volunteer waits whilst the deposit is counted.

Due to the location of the designated courier branches, you may incur additional costs, which you should discuss with your courier company.

The ADF would appreciate any feedback you may have. This can be emailed to us at adfmail@bne.catholic.net.au. We will, in turn, be providing this feedback to the Bank.

The ADF will provide you with quick cash bags (at no cost) should you wish to utilise this for your banking. The courier will collect the competed quick cash bags from you and drop them in a designated chute at any branch.

Australia Post has announced changes to the pricing and delivery schedules of their letter service. In particular a basic letter now costs $1.00 (up from 70c) and will take 1-2 days longer to be delivered.

Please take note of updated postal costs and delivery time-frames in relation to any important mail directed to the ADF. Please consider emailing the ADF if you need something actioned sooner.

Full details of the new pricing and delivery schedules are available on the Australia Post website at the following address:

http://auspost.com.au/changes-to-your-letters-service.html

The ADF will be operating throughout the Christmas holiday period with the exception of the gazetted public holidays.

Any customers preloading files or transactions for the period should ensure that they have sufficient funds in their account to cover the amount of the transactions to be processed.

If you require a temporary daily limit upgrade please contact the ADF on (07) 3324 3777

ADF management and staff wish all of our customers a happy and safe Christmas and thank you for your support in 2015.

Paper-based Merchant Facilities

The ADF has been advised that CommBank branches will no longer be accepting manual transactions from paper-based merchant imprinters – colloquially known as “click clack machines”.

The first credit card imprinting machine is believed to have been developed in the 1930’s but the technology was first patented in 1977 by Richard B Feldman, three years after the introduction of Bankcard in Australia in 1974.

The ADF began phasing out paper-based merchants two years ago in response to the Payment Card Industry emphasis on securing access to credit card numbers, so almost all ADF customers will have already transitioned to CommBank EFTPOS terminals and BPOINT facilities.

Please contact the ADF if you need to transition to new merchant facilities as a result of these changes.

Apple Pay in Australia

Apple Pay launched in Australia on the 19th of November 2015 for American Express customers only, after Apple’s negotiations with the big Australian banks and VISA were unsuccessful. No doubt resulting from the Reserve Bank’s push to decrease interchange fees for credit cards, VISA is said to have banned Australian banks from sharing interchange fees with third parties, effectively locking Apple out of the market here. As American Express payments are not regulated, they can charge significantly higher fees than their regulated competitors, and this has allowed them to offer a portion of the merchant fee to Apple.

American Express transactions are said to make up around 19% of credit card transactions in Australia, and cardholders with American Express-issued cards can now add their AMEX cards to compatible iPhones and start making contactless payments with an iPhone or an Apple Watch.

ADF merchants with contactless CommBank merchant terminals (EFTPOS Mobile, Integrated and Albert Pi) with an attached American Express merchant facility can accept Apple Pay payments. If you do not have an American Express facility attached to your terminal but would like to accept Apple Pay payments, please contact the ADF for assistance.