Westpac Bank closing Rural Branches

SARI RUSSO

ON May 19, 2023, Westpac are set to close their Ingham and Tully Branches permanently.

Over the last few years rural towns have noticed banks have begun closing their rural facilities with the push to utilise their online facilities.

As you will see from the following extract from the article from Bob Katter MP titled ‘Poor mobile service renders 000 useless’ rural areas are struggling with poor internet and telecommunication services.

EXTRACT: - Mission Beach local Paul Roxby, a long-term resident of the coastal town, said he was disgusted at the major telcos when he attempted to dial 000.

"Yesterday I had to call 000 ambulance for someone in the middle of a 4,000-tourist town and was cut off with 000. It took them five minutes to connect back, and that could have been the five minutes needed. A similar problem occurred yesterday with another lady who tried to contact 000," Mr Roxby said.

"Businesses are having to walk outside of their shops to get reception. Patchy internet and phone lines means eftpos doesn't work." -

The Locals who live in Mission Beach and Forest Beach who battle the questionable telecommunication services currently being provided in rural areas are already questioning ‘How will I use online banking successfully without needing to travel in person to the closest city?’

Nick Dametto Hinchinbrook MP and KAP Deputy Leader Nick Dametto said his thoughts first went out to the Westpac staff who face an uncertain future and also expressed his concern for the many elderly residents, community groups and businesses, that relied on the branch for face-to-face assistance.

“It’s completely unfair to elderly or vulnerable residents who will likely lose their independence by relying on family or friends to help them with internet banking, or go through the stress of switching banks,” he said.

“Westpac claims that a change in customer behaviour toward electronic banking is the reason for the branch closures when we all know very well that customers are in fact being forced to switch to electronic banking without a choice.

Westpac is the most recent closure for Ingham, as it has previously seen three other facilities close Bendigo bank closed on June 24, 2021, after already losing their ANZ and Suncorp facilities in Ingham in 2018.

The ANZ branch in Innisfail was closed on March 23, 2022.

Now Tully will be joining the rural bank closures around the rural townships covered by the Wet Tropics Times newspaper.