Australians are weighed down by a mountain of credit card debt estimated by the Reserve Bank to be well in excess of $50 billion.

From the start of next year ASIC will impose tighter rules for issuing new credit cards including that customers be able to pay off their limit within three years.

Fiona Guthrie from Financial Counselling Australia tells Mark it is a welcome move but more can be done to protect people from the credit card debt spiral.

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