Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester has condemned the decision by Bendigo Bank to close Bendigo Bank agencies in regional areas.
Mr Chester spoke in Parliament this week and said corporate executives had sent out letters to agencies stating they would close at the end of June.
“There’s no regard for the staff who will lose their jobs. There’s no regard for those vulnerable customers of the Bendigo Bank who thought that little agency was going to be there for them to go in and do their personal banking,” Mr Chester told Parliament.
“They’re small agencies, small business people who have provided a small service in these regional towns, including in my home town of Lakes Entrance.
“This will hit the most vulnerable people in our regional communities, and Bendigo Bank has done no consultation with the small-business owners who host that bank.
“I’ve previously called for a moratorium on all bank closures while the Senate inquiry does its work. I call on the Bendigo to stop closing its agencies, at least until the Senate inquiry does its work.”
Mr Chester said that banks needed to do better and look into alternative ways to provide services and not just close branches.
“Banks need to explore innovative solutions to maintain those face-to-face services which are critical for small-business owners and a wide range of customers who aren’t capable of using only banking,” Mr Chester said.
“On its own website, the Bendigo Bank says it has big responsibilities, and its biggest responsibility is to do the right thing. So I say to the Bendigo Bank corporate executives: How about you start practising what you preach?”
The Senate Inquiry into Bank closures in regional Australia is currently underway with the first hearing held in Sale recently.
The report is expected to be handed down by December 1, 2023.
