WESTPAC TO CLOSE TWO COAST BRANCHES
WESTPAC branches at Beaudesert and Pacific Fair are among 22 across Australia the bank will close, just days after its post-Royal Commission promise to do more for customers.
Elderly residents and staff are among those expected to be affected by the closure of face-to-face sites in mostly metro areas, including on George Street and Martin Place in Sydney.
Eight branches will close in and around Sydney, three in south-east Queensland, eight across Victoria, one in Adelaide, and one in Perth.
“We are continually reviewing our services to ensure they reflect how our customers are choosing to bank, now and in the future,” Westpac said in a statement.
“In the past 12 months, less than two per cent of transactions were through our branch network, as an increasing number of customers enjoy the convenience of our online and mobile banking services.”
Westpac said the decision to close a branch considered factors such as usage, location and proximity to other services the community relies upon.
Finance Sector Union national secretary Julia Angrisano said the announcement so soon after the royal commission into the financial sectors misconduct sent a clear message to Westpac customers.
“Hard on the heels of the release of the Banking Royal Commission report, these branch closures send a clear message to Westpac’s customers and staff: that Westpac cares more about profits than people,” Ms Angrisano said in a statment.
“Now should be the time that banks turn their attention to rebuilding public trust but closing branches is a kick in the guts for the community.”
On Monday Westpac’s chief executive Brian Hartzer acknowledged the royal commission had been a “confronting, thorough and important process” and that the bank was taking measures to achieve the best outcome for customers.
“We will continue to engage constructively in the reform process and support the essential role this industry plays in the Australian economy,” he said.