Tom Parry
WESTPAC has reversed its decision to close its Sale branch.
The banking giant confirmed last week that the branch on Raymond St would remain open, securing its presence in the Wellington Shire.
“After further discussions with customers and employees, we’ve decided to keep eight regional branches which were previously announced as closures open,” a Westpac spokesperson told the Gippsland Times.
“We look forward to continuing to serve these regions.”
The remaining seven branches are Cloncurry, Ingham, Tully and Gatton, all in Queensland; Robinvale in Victoria; Denmark in Western Australia; and one Bank SA branch in Kingston, South Australia.
The decision comes just three months after Westpac Group publicly revealed that it would be closing its Sale branch.
That announcement led to a public outcry locally, with parliamentarians, Wellington Shire Council and the Sale Business & Tourism Association all condemning the decision.
While initially scheduled for May 17, the date of the closure was postponed indefinitely following the establishment of a Federal Senate inquiry into bank closures in regional Australia.
The inquiry held its very first public hearing in Sale on March 2.
Queensland Senator Matt Canavan, who chairs the inquiry, welcomed Westpac’s decision.
“There is no doubt the Sale bank branch has been saved thanks to people power,” Senator Canavan said.
“All thanks goes to the Sale community for coming along in massive numbers to our Senate hearing earlier this year.
“My understanding is that Westpac is no longer proceeding with any more regional bank closures, which is great news for all country people.”
Photo: File
Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester also welcomed the decision, describing it as “a win for community pressure”.
“Much more is required, but hopefully this means the major banks are going to start listening to customers in rural and regional areas and developing solutions which work for them,” Mr Chester said.
“It’s lazy to just shut branches in Gippsland when more innovative solutions are available, which would mean the customers who need face-to-face banking services are treated with respect.
“We need to keep building pressure on the banks and the current Senate inquiry… has heard that ‘all options should be on the table’ to guarantee a minimum level of service delivery to banking customers.”
The decision was further welcomed by Wellington Shire Council Mayor Ian Bye, who noted that regional banking hubs “remain a keystone for connectivity, and support those who are most vulnerable”.
“Following public announcement of the planned closure of Westpac’s Sale branch, Council worked closely with Westpac’s senior executives to advocate for the community and voice the significant concerns of residents, not only for those who live in Sale, but for the many local business owners and residents who rely on traditional brick-and-mortar sites to meet their banking needs,” Cr Bye said.
“Council took pride when representing the community during the Parliamentary Inquiry into regional bank closures … CEO David Morcom spoke passionately about the challenges our community experience spanning access and connectivity, digital literacy, and the expectation that all people should feel included in their local community.
“I am glad to see this work reflected in Westpac’s decision to continue supporting in-person banking at a branch in Sale.
“It is a win for our local community, and I am proud of the support my Council colleagues could provide.”
Sale Business & Tourism Association president Julian McIvor said the “excellent” outcome shows what can be achieved when the community, businesses and politicians work together.
“Fighting against the corporate trend of big banks exiting regional towns seemed like a David versus Goliath battle,” Mr McIvor said.
“But the evidence our community produced during the Senate Inquiry hearing in Sale was powerful and I believe it went a long way to reversing Westpac’s decision.”
Photo: File
State Member for Gippsland South, Danny O’Brien said he was “relieved” that Westpac had overturned their decision.
“This is a great win for the community and those who stood up to fight against the decision, including my Federal colleague, Darren Chester,” Mr O’Brien said.
“I hope other banks will follow suit and reconsider decisions to close their regional branches, especially in towns the size of Sale.
“In many rural towns, the elderly, people with disabilities and many businesses need the bricks and mortar of a bank branch to do their banking. Banks making multi-billion dollar profits should remember that.”
While broadly supportive of the decision to reverse the closure of eight branches, Financial Services Union national secretary Juila Angrisano said Westpac needed to go further and keep all other branches open.
“Back in February, days after the Senate Inquiry was announced, Westpac said 20 branches would close,” Ms Angrisano said.
“By giving eight bank branches a reprieve, it has ignored communities and bank workers at the other branches.
“While everyone agrees this decision is the right thing to do, Westpac needs to be fair dinkum and cancel the closure of all 20 branches.
“Westpac’s massive $4 billion half-year profit demands that it stops leaving members of the community stranded without financial services and take responsibility for doing what the entire community expects a bank to do – provide access to banking for all Australians no matter where they live.
“If Westpac can cancel closures in some areas because of a Senate Inquiry, it should cancel closures everywhere.”
The union noted that five urban Westpac branches and seven Bank of Melbourne branches – which Westpac Group owns and operates – remain scheduled to close.
The Senate inquiry into bank closures in regional Australia is scheduled to hold two more public hearings in Queensland next week.