The Federal Member for Calare, Andrew Gee, is calling on two of the big banks to immediately announce the re-opening of a Lithgow branch and the reversal of plans to halve face-to-face service provision in another.
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The ANZ abruptly closed its Lithgow branch on Friday 14 January 2022 for a three-month period, without giving the community any notice of the plans.
Lithgow's ANZ branch is scheduled to re-open in April, but Gee says it has failed to confirm if, and when, this will occur. The Lithgow Mercury has reached out to ANZ for comment.
"The ANZ bank's treatment of its loyal Lithgow customers is disgraceful," Gee said.
"The closure sent a clear message to personal and business banking customers that profits come before people for the ANZ. Many of these customers are elderly and have been forced to find transport to make the 124 kilometre round trip to Bathurst, or 74 kilometre round trip to Katoomba, to access banking services since mid-January.
"It is simply unacceptable. I have written to the CEO of ANZ, Shayne Elliott, asking for confirmation of when the branch will re-open. I am yet to receive a response to my letter or my calls to the bank. It shows a blatant disregard of our country communities and loyal bank customers. Mr Elliott needs to immediately guarantee the Lithgow branch will re-open on 1 April 2022.
"I have now been informed that another of the big banks, the National Australia Bank (NAB), will soon more than halve its opening hours and face to face banking services in Lithgow.
"This is nothing more than a cost cutting strategy that, again, will impact regional customers.
"I've also contacted NAB calling for it to reverse this absurd decision. Quite simply, service cuts and closures need to stop. These banking giants are disregarding the needs of their loyal customers, and continually shutting up shops to line their pockets. We have had enough!"
"The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) recently announced its net cash profit for the first half of 2022 of $4.75 billion. $4.75 billion dollars in profit in six months. It comes on the back of the CBA shutting its branches in Molong and Blayney in June 2021, despite fierce local opposition to the move. It shows these big banks simply don't care about country communities or customers; they're purely interested in making more profit.
"The glossy advertising campaigns of the big banks 'always being there to help' are a farce. In reality they're fleeing the bush as fast as they can, with many using COVID-19 as an excuse for pulling out of the towns they're most needed in.
"Blayney has lost two bank branches. The Cabonne Shire no longer has a single stand-alone bank branch. Molong, Portland, Cowra and Canowindra are struggling after branches ceased operating, while people in Gulgong, Wellington and Oberon are trying to make do with reduced service hours.
The findings of the Australian Government's Regional Banking Taskforce are set to be released in coming weeks and Gee says he hopes it will deliver recommendations and tangible outcomes that stop this face-to-face banking exodus from regional Australia.
"This simply has to stop. The ANZ needs to immediately confirm when it will reopen the Lithgow branch, and the NAB should immediately reverse its decision to slash operating hours in its Lithgow base. Action is needed now," Gee said.
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