All the detail you could ever need

Earth, Earth Gold and Earth Platinum are credit cards that provide you with two cards linked to one account so you can boost your points earning potential and enjoy worldwide acceptance. You receive one statement, one credit limit, the same interest rate and one annual fee for both cards.

Because they're all about travelling and discovering there's more to life on earth. Using your card for everyday purchases helps you earn Qantas Frequent Flyer points¹ and get to your next travel destination sooner.

Earth is powered by Westpac. Westpac is the credit provider and legal issuer of the Earth cards. Westpac provides the cards, issues your credit card statements and does the credit management side of things, so you can rest easy knowing that a reputable company is connected to Earth.

Earth is all about travel. After all, holidays are what we look forward to most. So we've linked our cards to one of the best loyalty programs - the Qantas Frequent Flyer program. For more details on the Qantas Frequent Flyer program visit qantas.com/frequentflyer

You can see your account details online through Westpac internet banking.

Earth, Earth Gold and Earth Platinum come with two cards:

• An Earth or Earth Gold or Earth Platinum American Express Card to accelerate your points earning power and
• An Earth or Earth Gold or Earth Platinum MasterCard with the convenience of acceptance at over 29 million locations worldwide.

And because they're combined into one account, you only have one credit limit and one monthly statement.

Earth Gold offers a wide range of complimentary insurances including:

Complimentary Overseas Travel Insurance Cover⁶

When you purchase all flights on your Earth Gold card prior to departing Australia, complimentary overseas travel insurance cover is available for trips of up to three months for you, your spouse and certain dependent children travelling with you. In accordance with the policy, this cover includes:

• Certain medical and hospital expenses incurred overseas
• Up to $15,000 per person up to a maximum of A$20,000 cover per family for loss or damage to your personal goods, including baggage and traveller’s cheques and credit cards taken with you on your journey for personal use
• Up to $2.5 million of personal liability
• Rental vehicle excess cover of up to $5,500 for loss or damage to a rental vehicle

Cover is provided for the spouse of either the primary or additional cardholder and dependent children when travelling with either cardholder, provided the return air ticket has been paid for using the Earth Gold card prior to departing Australia.

Complimentary Transit Accident Insurance Cover⁶
Where you have purchased your ticket prior to leaving using your Earth Gold Card, in the event of your death or defined injury while travelling on public transport (including in a plane, bus, train or ferry) outside Australia, you are covered by Transit Accident Insurance for up to $250,000, in accordance with the policy.

Complimentary Extended Warranty Insurance Cover⁶
Extend the manufacturer's expressed Australian warranty of between 6 months and 4 years by up to one year, on certain new personal goods, with a manufacturer’s unique identification serial number on them, purchased with your Earth Gold cards in accordance with the policy.

Complimentary Purchase Security Insurance⁶
Provides 90 day cover for loss, theft or accidental damage over a wide range of new personal goods purchased with your Earth Gold cards in accordance with the policy of up to $125,000 in any 12 month period per account.

Complimentary overseas travel insurance cover is only available for trips of up to 3 months. The benefit of cover only extends to the primary and any additional card holder, and their spouse and certain dependent children travelling with either the primary or additional cardholder. The return overseas travel ticket must have been purchased using your Earth Gold card prior to leaving Australia. Westpac is not the product issuer of this cover. Westpac does not guarantee, nor is it liable to pay any of the benefits under this cover. This insurance cover is issued by Zurich Australian Insurance Limited ABN 13 000 296 640 to Westpac Banking Corporation under a Master Agreement. Zurich is liable for the risks incurred under the terms of the policy. The benefits of the insurance from Zurich are extended to Westpac's cardholders (as third party beneficiaries) as complimentary benefits. The cardholder is under no obligation to accept the benefits of the cover and cover is subject to the terms and conditions of the policy.

For more details, download the Earth Gold Insurance Conditions of Use (PDF 226KB).

Earth Platinum offers a wide range of complimentary insurances and covers and other benefits including:

Complimentary Overseas Travel Insurance⁷

When you purchase your return overseas travel ticket on your Earth Platinum card prior to departing Australia, complimentary overseas travel insurance cover is available for trips of up to six months for you, your spouse and certain dependent children travelling with you. In accordance with the policy, this cover includes:

• Unlimited medical expenses incurred overseas
• Up to $20,000 cover worth of cover per person up to a maximum of A$20,000 cover per family for loss or damage to your personal goods, including baggage and traveller’s cheques and credit cards taken with you on your journey for personal use
• Up to $2.5million of personal liability
• Rental vehicle excess cover of up to $5,500 for loss or damage to a rental vehicle

Please note the complimentary travel insurance cover applies to the primary cardholder and any additional cardholder. Cover is provided for the spouse of either cardholder and dependent children when travelling with either cardholder, providing the return air ticket has been paid for using the Earth Platinum card prior to departing Australia.

Complimentary Transit Accident Insurance Cover⁷
Where you have purchased your ticket prior to leaving using your Earth Platinum Card, in the event of your death or defined injury while travelling on public transport (including in a plane, bus, train or ferry) outside Australia, you are covered by Transit Accident Insurance for up to $500,000, in accordance with the policy.

Complimentary Extended Warranty Insurance Cover⁷
Extend the manufacturer's expressed Australian warranty of between 6 months and 4 years by up to two years, on certain new personal goods, with a manufacturer’s unique identification serial number on them, purchased with your Earth Platinum cards in accordance with the policy.

Complimentary Purchase Security Insurance Cover⁷
Provides four months cover for loss, theft or accidental damage over a wide range of new personal goods purchased with your Earth Platinum cards in accordance with the policy of up to $135,000 in any 12 month period per account.

Complimentary overseas travel insurance cover is only available for trips of up to 6 months. The benefit of cover only extends to the primary and any additional card holder, and their spouse and certain dependent children travelling with either the primary or secondary cardholder. The return overseas travel ticket must have been purchased using your Earth Platinum card prior to leaving Australia. Westpac is not the product issuer of this cover. Westpac does not guarantee, nor is it liable to pay any of the benefits under this cover. This insurance cover is issued by Zurich Australian Insurance Limited ABN 13 000 296 640 to Westpac Banking Corporation under a Master Agreement. Zurich is liable for the risks incurred under the terms of the policy. The benefits of the insurance from Zurich are extended to Westpac's cardholders (as third party beneficiaries) as complimentary benefits. The cardholder is under no obligation to accept the benefits of the cover and cover is subject to the terms and conditions of the policy.

For more details, download the Earth Platinum Insurance Conditions of Use (PDF 226KB).

Earth Platinum Concierge⁹
Our Concierge service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from anywhere in the world. Concierge is your own personal assistant, providing emergency assistance worldwide as well as helping you find the perfect party venue, or get tickets to your favourite game. It's all just a phone call away.

For more details, download the Earth Platinum Concierge Terms and Conditions (PDF 156KB).

To earn Qantas Frequent Flyer points, you need to be a member of the Qantas Frequent Flyer program and provide us with your valid Qantas Frequent Flyer membership number. You earn Qantas Frequent Flyer points whenever you make eligible purchases on your card.¹

On Earth you'll earn:

• 1 Qantas Frequent Flyer point per $1 spent on purchases on your Earth American Express Card;
• 0.5 Qantas Frequent Flyer points per $1 spent on purchases on your Earth MasterCard.

On Earth Gold you'll earn:

• 1 Qantas Frequent Flyer point per $1 spent on purchases on your Earth Gold American Express Card;
• 0.5 Qantas Frequent Flyer points per $1 spent on purchases on your Earth Gold MasterCard.

On Earth Platinum you'll earn:

• 1.5 Qantas Frequent Flyer points per $1 spent on purchases on your Earth Platinum American Express Card;
• 0.5 Qantas Frequent Flyer points per $1 spent on purchases on your Earth Platinum MasterCard.

From time to time, new and/or existing Earth, Earth Gold and Earth Platinum cardholders can earn extra points under special promotions.

You can become a member by visiting qantas.com/frequentflyer or contacting the Qantas Frequent Flyer Service Centre on 13 11 31. A joining fee usually applies Westpac has arranged for this to be waived for new Earth, Earth Gold or Earth Platinum cardholders where card applications are received by 30 June 2010.

You can call the Qantas Frequent Flyer Service Centre on 13 11 31 and they'll be happy to assist you.

No, unlike some other cards, there is no points capping or tiering, and your Qantas Frequent Flyer points won't expire while you remain an active member of Qantas Frequent Flyer in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Qantas Frequent Flyer program.

We don't issue separate Qantas Frequent Flyer statements to you in connection with the use of your card. For more information on how to keep track of your Qantas Frequent Flyer points visit qantas.com/frequentflyer.

You can redeem your Qantas Frequent Flyer points by visiting qantas.com/frequentflyer or contacting the Qantas Frequent Flyer Service Centre on 13 11 31.

If you have any questions in relation to Qantas Frequent Flyer statements or Qantas Frequent Flyer points, you can call the Qantas Frequent Flyer Service Centre on 13 11 31.

Qantas Frequent Flyer points aren't earned in a number of circumstances as set out in your credit card's relevant Conditions of Use. These circumstances include on government charges (other than GST), interest and other fees and charges, cash advances, any spend deemed to be for business purposes, balance transfers and BPay payments. Your points will also be deducted if you return a purchased item. Refer to the relevant Conditions of Use for your card for more detail.
Earth Conditions of Use (PDF 301KB) (amendment)
Earth Platinum Conditions of Use (PDF 226KB) (amendment)

Yes, you can even do it at the same time as you apply. You will be asked at the time of application if you want to transfer an existing balance from another credit card to your new Earth, Earth Gold or Earth Platinum account. Your Westpac credit card account must be activated prior to the balance transfer being processed.

Payment to the institution(s) which issued your other card(s) will normally be completed within 10 working days. We will not be responsible for any delays that may occur in processing such payment. We will not be liable for any overdue payment or interest incurred on your other card account(s). On the date of the balance transfer, we will transfer the amount(s) requested up to the credit limit on your Westpac credit card. However if your balance will exceed 95% of the credit limit immediately after the transfer, we will transfer only the amount that will cause your balance to equal 95% of that limit. Transfers can only be made from Australian-issued cards.

The promotion rate of 1.99% p.a. for 9 months is only available for use at the point of application for new Earth, Earth Gold and Earth Platinum cards. For balances transferred after the point of application, the cash advance rate, currently 20.64% p.a. (variable) will apply. Each balance transfer must be a minimum amount of $200.

Interest and any fees will accrue on amounts transferred from the date the transfer is debited to your Westpac credit card account. If you are transferring balances from your existing Westpac or Virgin credit card to your new Westpac credit card, you will not be eligible for the balance transfer interest rate, but will be charged the standard cash advance annual percentage rate. Payments made to your Westpac credit card account are first applied to any amounts transferred from other cards, before they are applied to any other cash advance or purchase amount. This will mean that the portion of your outstanding account balance that is subject to a lower interest rate will be paid off first. After 6 months the balance transfer rate will switch to your credit card’s cash advance interest rate, currently 20.64% p.a. (variable). The standard interest-free period on purchases of up to 45 days does not apply to balance transfers and it only applies to credit purchases if you pay the closing balance (including any balance transfer or other promotional amount) in full by the statement due date each month.

You can upgrade from Earth to Earth Gold or Earth Platinum, or vice versa simply by filling in a fresh application and choosing to consolidate your existing balance with your new card.

The minimum credit limit for Earth is $1,000. The minimum credit limit for Earth Gold is $5,000. The minimum credit limit for Earth Platinum is $8,000.

Approval of credit limit increases are subject to Westpac's normal lending criteria. Of course, you should ensure you can afford to meet the increased monthly payments based on your new limit. We can help you assess your financial situation if you like by calling us on 1300 762 284.

Westpac is a responsible lender and our lending policies and guidelines are designed to ensure that we lend responsibly, according to the law and the Code of Banking Practice. Westpac may offer to increase your credit limit. If this is offered please ensure you are comfortable with the higher monthly payments and higher credit limit. If your circumstances have recently changed or are likely to change or you think you wouldn’t be able to afford the increased payments, you should not apply for a credit limit increase. Call us for assistance on 1300 762 284.

You can also switch from Earth Platinum to Earth Gold or Earth and from Earth Gold to Earth at anytime – and request a limit reduction too. If you switch from Earth Platinum to Earth Gold the range of complimentary insurance covers will also change to those in Earth Gold Insurance Conditions of Use (PDF 226KB) and the Qantas Frequent Flyer points you earn per $1 spent on purchases will also change.

If you switch from Earth Platinum or Earth Gold to Earth you will no longer have access to any of the range of complimentary insurance covers available under Earth Platinum Insurance Conditions of Use (PDF 226KB) or Earth Gold Insurance Conditions of Use (PDF 226KB) and the Qantas Frequent Flyer points you earn per $1 spent on purchases will also change.

Sorry, not at this stage. Earth is a consumer credit card.

If you already have a Westpac credit card, but you would like to change to Earth, Earth Gold or Earth Platinum, complete the credit card switch application form (PDF 92KB). The same credit limit applies when transferring the balance of any existing Westpac credit card.

If you have recurring direct debits being charged to your old credit card account for services such as phone, gas and electricity, internet and pay TV access or health club memberships, you will need to advise these companies of your new card details. For most companies a phone call will be sufficient to change your credit card details. You may also be able to update your details online.

If you need to provide your new account details in writing, our online form can help you generate the letters required. Then you can print and send the letters to your service providers.

The minimum payment that we require from you each month will be shown on your monthly card statement. Payment due date will be 15 days from that of your statement date.

You'll need to make payments to your card account with Australian currency in Australia. You can make payments on your card by:

• Using our card Autopay facility
• Making a payment using BPay
• Paying at a Westpac branch
• Mailing your cheque payment to us at the address shown on your statement. Please don't send us cash through the mail.
• Transferring funds from a nominated account at any Westpac ATM
• Transferring funds through Westpac's telephone banking or internet banking services

If you find yourself struggling to remember to pay your credit card on time or are too busy to organise payments, you can have more peace of mind with Card Autopay. It's a free service that automatically pays a nominated amount to your card monthly. You can choose to pay the full balance, a percentage of the balance, or a set amount.

To apply for Card Autopay call Earth Card Services on 1300 762 284 (1300 859 100 if you’re an Earth Platinum customer) or complete the card autopay form (PDF 63KB) and send it to:

Card Autopay
IBN 46 CW
GPO BOX 3433
Sydney NSW 2001
Australia

or fax it to (02) 9767 0769.

If you are a Westpac customer and you are registered for Westpac Internet Banking you can opt out of receiving paper statements for your Earth, Earth Gold or Earth Platinum card.

Below are some useful tips on how to avoid paying certain fees on your credit card.

• Ensure you make your payment by the due date on your statement to avoid being charged a late payment fee.
• Ensure you keep your account balance within your current credit limit to avoid being charged an over-limit fee. You can check your current balance by phone banking by calling 1300 762 284 (1300 859 100 for Earth Platinum customers), or Westpac Internet Banking (you'll need to be registered for both of these first though).

To report a lost or stolen card please notify us immediately so that we can stop all transactions on your account.

Contact our Cards Customer Service Call Centre:
Australia - 1300 762 284
Overseas - +61 3 6345 1058. This is a reverse charge call and we'll arrange for a card to be couriered directly to you, so it doesn't spoil your trip.
Or if you’re an Earth Platinum customer call:
Australia - 1300 859 100
Overseas - +61 3 6345 1146. This is a reverse charge call and we'll arrange for a card to be couriered directly to you, so it doesn't spoil your trip.
If you report a lost or stolen card by phone or at a Westpac branch, the credit card can be stopped immediately. If you're in Australia, a replacement card will be mailed to you or sent to a branch for your collection. This will take four working days in metro areas and six working days in regional areas.

Chip technology uses a security microchip embedded in your Earth, Earth Gold or Earth Platinum MasterCard to securely store your personal data, rather than storing it on the magnetic stripe on the back of the card.

There is no additional information stored than your previous non-Chip card. The Chip stores the same personal data as the magnetic stripe (e.g. cardholder name, card number and expiry date). This data is stored in a secure format within the Chip.

As the Australian and global market is currently in the process of moving to Chip payment terminals, you will still need your magnetic stripe to support terminals that haven't yet been upgraded to Chip technology.

Chip is a more effective counter-measure against counterfeit and skimming fraud. The microchip stores information more securely than the magnetic stripe, which makes it far harder to fraudulently copy your credit card details.

What do I do when I get my new Chip card?

1. Sign your new Chip card immediately
2. Start using it straight away for all new purchases
3. Please ensure your old card is disposed of securely. We recommend that you cut it up into small pieces before disposing of it.

Please note that if you want to use your new Chip card to withdraw cash from ATMs, you will need a new PIN. If you currently use a PIN, we will automatically reissue you with a new one. This will be sent to you within 10 days of receiving your new Chip card. You can continue to use your existing credit card and current PIN until this new PIN is issued.

At Westpac we've put in place a number of processes and best practice solutions to help protect our customers and reduce incidents of fraud. CardShield™ guards you against fraudulent activity on both your Earth American Express card and Earth MasterCard:

• Buy anything you like, on any website - your card's Online Transaction Security Guarantee means that we guarantee you will not be liable for the amount of any internet transaction made without your knowledge or consent, if we are notified of that transaction before the due date shown on the card account statement
• Rest easy with 24/7 Falcon™ fraud protection- this monitors every transaction for irregular activity. If a suspicious transaction is detected, one of Westpac's fraud specialists will call you to verify it

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Credit card transactions used to have always required your signature. Now – at participating merchants – you will have the option of using the card's 4-digit PIN (personal identification number) instead for purchases using your Earth American Express Card, Earth MasterCard, Earth Gold American Express Card, Earth Gold MasterCard, Earth Platinum American Express Card or Earth Platinum MasterCard. Of course, you can continue to sign as you've always done. The choice is yours.

Keying in your PIN can be more convenient than signing because it's quicker: no more juggling pen, purchases and paper. Just enter your PIN and you're done.

Anyone who has access to your personal information - your PIN, Internet Banking password or Telephone Banking access code - can transact on your accounts. This is why we encourage you to treat this information as confidential. Our Security Guidelines outline what you need to do to protect your card against a breach of security. It also explains what to do if your card is lost or stolen, and how to keep your card safe when travelling.

If an unauthorised transaction occurs on your account, you won't be held liable if it is clear that you (or anyone authorised to use your account) did not contribute to the loss.

We've put in place a number of processes and best practice solutions to help protect our customers and reduce incidents of fraud. For example, we employ a world-class fraud detection system which highlights unusual activity on credit cards. If alerted by the system, we will contact you immediately to verify the information. We also have staff working around the clock monitoring cards. If they suspect fraud, we could block your credit card temporarily while we contact you to confirm your card activity.

These measures are in place to detect fraud at the earliest convenience, but there are a number of things you can do to help us.

• Call us to update your contact details (including home, work and mobile phone numbers and email address)
• Advise us of your travel plans, and also provide a general travel itinerary if possible
• Ensure that you can be contacted by us at all times, in all global locations. Establish an email account, or ensure that your mobile telephone has "global roaming" activated if you are travelling
• When you travel ensure that you have a range of payment methods such as cash, traveller's cheques as well as a credit card in case of emergency
• Know where your cards are at all times. If possible, walk to the counter to pay your bills, instead of giving your card to the waiter; and never leave your card behind a bar
• When paying for goods and services, monitor staff for any suspicious behaviour or irregularities
• Always report strange behaviour to us
• Don't use any suspicious looking terminals
• Ensure you keep all receipts until you have reconciled your statement. Check amounts and dates thoroughly as some merchants may have a different business name to what may appear on your statement
• Once you have reconciled your statements either store your receipts securely or destroy them
• Destroy any carbon imprints of your card from a manual credit card machine
• Ensure your mail is delivered to a secure location and lock your letterbox so that your mail cannot be accessed
• Only shop online at secure websites
• Sign your new cards as soon as you receive them
• Destroy expired or unwanted cards by cutting through the signature panel and magnetic strip
• Report lost or stolen cards immediately on 1300 762 284 (fraudulent use of cards generally takes place soon after they are lost or stolen)
• Keep a list of your credit card numbers in a secure location; this information is helpful when reporting lost or stolen cards
• Do not give your card to anyone
• Treat your card as if it were cash; do not leave it unattended, such as in a car or workplace
• Be suspicious of any person who phones and seeks personal information or bank details without properly identifying themselves
• Never write your PIN down; make sure it is a number that can not be found in your wallet, eg date of birth or last four digits of your phone

For more information, download our Keeping your accounts safe and secure (PDF 48KB) brochure

You can apply for a credit limit increase online. This should take no more than 5-10 minutes to complete, and Westpac's normal lending criteria apply. You can also apply for a credit limit increase by calling 1300 762 284 (or 1300 859 100 if you’re an Earth Platinum customer). Of course, you should ensure you can afford to meet the increased monthly payments based on your new limit. We can help you assess your financial situation if you like by calling us on the number above.

Westpac is a responsible lender and our lending policies and guidelines are designed to ensure that we lend responsibly, according to the law and the Code of Banking Practice. Westpac may offer to increase your credit limit. If this is offered please ensure you are comfortable with the higher monthly payments and higher credit limit. If your circumstances have recently changed or are likely to change or you think you wouldn’t be able to afford the increased payments, you should not apply for a credit limit increase. Call us for assistance on 1300 762 284.

A key obligation of the cardholder is to make the minimum monthly payments, on or before the due date on their credit card statement. However, there can be reasons, such as job loss or illness that can mean the most responsible borrower might get into temporary financial difficulty. Minimum payments are designed to give you some short term payment flexibility, but it is unwise to rely on making minimum payments as an ongoing way of managing your credit card payments. Here are two simple rules that are important factors in responsible credit card management:

• Always aim to pay off more than the monthly minimum payment.
• Ensure your credit card limit is realistic, and tell us if you want to reduce your credit card limit. Call us for assistance on 1300 762 284 and your reduced credit limit will become effective immediately.
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The minimum credit limit for Earth is $1,000
The minimum credit limit for Earth Gold is $5,000
The minimum credit limit for Earth Platinum is $10,000

You can apply for an additional card, and share the same line of credit with a family member, as long as they are over 16 years. You can do this at the same time as you apply, or you can complete the following additional card request form (PDF 61KB) and send it to:

Earth Card Services
Reply Paid 79735
Parramatta NSW 2124

For approved applications, a letter advising how to collect your additional credit card will be provided within seven working days in metro areas and nine working days in regional areas.

Additional cards can be issued on the primary cardholder’s credit card account to any nominated person over the age of 16 years. All transactions using the additional card will be the responsibility of the primary cardholder. As at 1 February 2009 additional cards do not incur annual fees. This is subject to change.

Consolidating your finances on the one card could save you the cost (and trouble) of maintaining several accounts. Simply transfer the balances of any credit, charge, or store card to your Earth credit card. Lower balance transfer interest rates available from time to time under special promotions do not apply to balance transfers from existing Westpac or Virgin cards. If you like, we can contact the other financial institutions or stores for you. All you have to do is complete our balance transfer form (PDF 56KB) and send it in.

Following the simple rules below will help you manage your credit card responsibly.

• Always aim to pay off more than the monthly minimum credit card payment
• Ensure your credit card limit is realistic, taking into account your ability to repay your credit card debt.

Of course, you can have your credit limit decreased at any time if you feel you don't need or can't manage your current limit. There may however be a minimum level to which the limit can be decreased.

Even the most responsible cardholder might get into financial difficulty at times. If you ever experience difficulty in paying off your credit card or other bills, the sooner you take action, the easier it is to find a solution.

Letting credit card debts mount up, or juggling cards to make minimum payments will only make the situation worse in the future. Here are some steps you can take if you're feeling out of control of your finances.

• You should get in touch with us straight away so we can outline options to help you pay off your debt. Call us on 1300 762 284 for assistance.
• See a financial counsellor. You could benefit by contacting a non-profit independent financial counselling service. These counsellors don't charge a fee and will carry out a private interview to assist you. They may also negotiate on your behalf and provide information and support on a variety of issues from budgeting to debt recovery.

Learn how to pay your bills online using the step-by-step demonstration in our Users Guide . A daily limit of $10,000 applies to certain billers to increase the security of the BPay service in Internet Banking.

There are some billers who may not accept credit card payments. The MasterCard acceptance mark and American Express symbol will be displayed if a merchant or biller accepts payment from that card.