General News
2 May, 2023
Jeparit joins Warrack's bank rage
NAB customers in Jeparit are seething at the upcoming closure of its Roy Street branch, which the bank claims is due to changes in people’s banking habits. A letter sent to customers says the NAB agency will close permanently on July 13, “due to...
NAB customers in Jeparit are seething at the upcoming closure of its Roy Street branch, which the bank claims is due to changes in people’s banking habits.
A letter sent to customers says the NAB agency will close permanently on July 13, “due to changes in the way customers are banking”.
Member for Mallee Anne Webster said the National Australia Bank had “abandoned” its Jeparit customers.
The shock announcement comes despite the ongoing national Senate Inquiry into bank closures in regional Australia.
“Other banks have paused their regional closures while the current Senate Inquiry is occurring," Dr Webster said.
"But NAB has just pushed on - leaving the people of Jeparit short of a vital service in their town.
“NAB can play around with numbers all they want to justify their position and point customers to Warracknabeal, Nhill or Rainbow - the simple fact remains that their bottom line matters more to them than the people of Jeparit.”
NAB has pointed its Jeparit customers to its internet and telephone banking services, and said they can use the nearby Australia Post outlet to withdraw and deposit cash and cheques.
But Dr Webster said this was not good enough.
“Banking at the post office does not provide all services, and many people hold concerns over privacy when using a post office for banking,” she said.
“NAB’s decision is not acceptable.”
The bank’s Jeparit closure comes just weeks after Bendigo Bank announced it would close five agencies in the region - at Warracknabeal, Stawell, Cohuna, Sea Lake and Pyramid Hill.
“This is yet another failure of the banking sector to look after its regional customers,” Dr Webster said.
“With an ageing population in our regions, banks are moving too fast to push people to use largely online services when older customers in particular prefer and trust face to face service.
“Our communities have had enough.”
The Financial Sector Union, which called on all major banks to halt closure plans while the Senate Inquiry was under way, described announcements by NAB of closures at Jeparit and three other regional towns as “outrageous”.
FSU National Secretary Julia Angrisano said both the CBA and ANZ had committed to pausing regional closures while the Inquiry continued - but NAB was refusing to do so.
“The NAB’s behaviour is outrageous, completely out of step with community expectations and in breach of its social license,” Ms Angrisano said.
“The major banks are making massive profits and yet they continue to shut down branches and they don’t care about customers and businesses who are impacted by these closures.”
The bank’s letter to Jeparit customers, signed by Larna Manson, Retail Customer Executive for NAB’s Greater Regional Victoria network, goes on to say: “We’re here to help. Your everyday banking needs are important to us.”
Ms Manson invites customers to visit the branch before it closes, where staff can “provide education on online banking”, or to call her on 7036 7335.
Submissions to the Senate Inquiry closed on April 28. Its findings are due to be published on December 1.