ANZ set to close 15 more bank branches

ANZ will close 15 bank branches across the country in a move that has been slammed by the industry union as “deserting communities around Australia”.

Nine branches in NSW, two branches in Victoria and four branches in Western Australia are slated to close in October this year, according to the Finance Sector Union.

The move comes two months after .

Finance Sector Union national secretary Julia Angrisano said bank branches were an essential service for regional Australians, and the closures would force thousands of customers to travel long distances to other towns to do their banking.

“The ANZ takes the cake as the worst performer when it comes to deserting communities around Australia,” she said.

“Shutting branches in regional areas does not reflect the true needs of bank customers.

“They need to be able to transact the full range of banking and financial services in branches close to where they live.”

The bank closures will force 54 regionally-based ANZ employees out of a job, Angrisano added.

“If you live and work in a regional town, your opportunities for redeployment are virtually nil.”

She added that COVID had forced big banks to fast-track plans to close branches, but slammed the financial institutions for prioritising profits over the needs of the communities.

“We don’t believe the community is ready for the changes to banking that are being pushed by the likes of the ANZ,” she said.

“And we know the community is not ready for managing their finances online because one third of bank customers either don’t have a computer, do not have sufficient skills or are not interested in taking up online banking.”

According to the FSU, this is the list of 15 ANZ bank branches scheduled to close in October:

NSW

• Forster

• Cooma

• Ulladulla

• Salamander Bay

• Casino

• Cowra

• Cootamundra

• Leeton, Kempsey

Victoria

• Bacchus Marsh

• Lakes Entrance

Western Australia

• Wongan Hills

• Bassendean

• Baldivis

• Beverley

In announcing the February branch closures, ANZ retail managing director Katherine Bray said 70 per cent of its customers preferred digital banking in 2020.

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“Only 12 per cent of our customers used branches during the same time, which means we were only completing about one transaction per customer per month over the counter,” she said at the time.

“Whenever we have to make a tough decision to close any of our branches, we notify customers and let them know about all the alternatives they have available, including specialist teams that can help them.”

Yahoo Finance has reached out to ANZ for comment.

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