Bank Closures

Below are questions about Bank closures, asked of the Banks at their 2022 AGM’s.

Banking is a unique service with unique powers and responsibilities.

I put it to NAB it is not possible to digitise a personal interaction, reflect it in a file, or do it remotely.

National Australia Bank has 286 regional branches still open but has closed or cut services to a point where the facility is no longer classified a bank branch to 474 locations.  This is a cut of 62 per cent of its original regional network of 760.

My Questions are:

Does NAB claim that the branches it has closed are all unprofitable?

If so, will you submit this claim to an independent audit?

How do NAB branch closures comply with the mandatory contractual warranty of the Banking Code of Practice that states:

“We are committed to providing banking services which are inclusive of all people including: a) older people; b) people with a disability; c) indigenous Australians, including in remote locations; and d) people with limited English.”

I say that it is not possible to digitise a personal interaction, reflect it in a file, or do it remotely.

ANZ now has the smallest regional bank network in Australia with just 179 of its original 615 branches outside metropolitan cities still open, a cut of 71 per cent.

My Questions are:

Does ANZ claim that the branches it has closed are all unprofitable?

If so, will you submit this claim to an independent audit?

How do ANZ branch closures comply with the mandatory contractual warranty of the Banking Code of Practice that states:

“We are committed to providing banking services which are inclusive of all people including: a) older people; b) people with a disability; c) indigenous Australians, including in remote locations; and d) people with limited English.”

I say that it is not possible to digitise a personal interaction, reflect it in a file, or do it remotely.

Since the peak in 1975 Westpac has slashed 75 per cent of non-metropolitan branches leaving it with 194 from its original 777.

Since the start of 2021, Westpac has closed 47 Westpac branches.

From these closures, Westpac left 13 towns with no banking services.

SA       Yankalilla

SA       Mannum

SA       Tailem Bend

SA       Kapunda

SA       Peterborough

QLD    Hamilton Island

NT       Jabiru

NSW   Terrigal

NSW   Leura

WA     Tom Price

WA     Wongan Hills

SA       Coober Pedy

WA     Carnamah

My Questions are:

Do you claim that the branches you have closed are all unprofitable? If so, will you submit this claim to an independent audit?

How do Westpac branch closures comply with the mandatory contractual warranty of the Banking Code of Practice that states:

“We are committed to providing banking services which are inclusive of all people including: a) older people; b) people with a disability; c) indigenous Australians, including in remote locations; and d) people with limited English.”

Alan Jane questions Westpac on branch closures.