As the NAB Lithgow branch closed its doors for the final time, Federal Member for Calare Andrew Gee has again expressed his disappointment in the decision.
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In January 2024 NAB announced that Lithgow and Oberon would be two of 11 branches to be closed in the current financial year.
The Lithgow branch's last day of trade was Wednesday, April 24, while Oberon closed its doors on Tuesday, April 23.
Mr Gee said he believes financial factors weren't the reason for the decision as NAB recorded substantially high profits in recent months.
"In November 2023, NAB posted a profit of $7.731 billion," Mr Gee said.
"Former NAB CEO Ross McEwan said at the time, 'NAB is focused on delivering better outcomes for our customers and colleagues... and this is serving our customers and our bank well.'
"I think he mistook the word 'customers' for 'shareholders', because just two months later, NAB announced it would be axing its Oberon and Lithgow shopfronts - two of 11 regional NAB branches to close by July.
The decision to close the branches was met with disappointment and concern for the length of travel time for elderly and disadvantaged customers by Mayor, Maree Statham, Leader of the Nationals Party, David Littleproud and Mr Gee.
"To access face-to-face banking, NAB customers in Oberon will now be forced to complete a 90km to 100km round trip to Bathurst, while NAB customers in Lithgow must make an approximately 80km to 90km roundtrip to the Katoomba branch, or head to Bathurst which is a roundtrip of about 125km," Mr Gee said.
"These bank closures are particularly hard on seniors, community groups and businesses who rely on in-person banking services."
According to Mr Gee, he had a meeting with NAB in a bid to have the closures reconsidered, but he was unsuccessful.
"In February, I met with NAB representatives at Parliament House in Canberra and asked them to reverse their decision to axe their Lithgow and Oberon branches. They flat out refused," Mr Gee said.
"This is another sorry chapter in the shameful story of the big banks' abandonment and betrayal of country Australia and their customers."
Reidun Berntsen
Reidun is a Journalist and writer who lives in a country town 3 hours from Sydney, Australia. From a young age, Reidun has been in love with words and the infinite possibilities they bring. Stories, features and poems have been a major part of her writing career.
Reidun is a Journalist and writer who lives in a country town 3 hours from Sydney, Australia. From a young age, Reidun has been in love with words and the infinite possibilities they bring. Stories, features and poems have been a major part of her writing career.
