BANK CLOSURES IN GUNDAGAI, TEMORA APPALLING

Federal Member for Riverina Michael McCormack has slammed the decision from the National Australia Bank (NAB) to close its branches in Gundagai and Temora.

Mr McCormack said he was very disappointed with the announcement, with letters being sent out to customers’ mailboxes, emails sent through internet banking and signs going up in both the Gundagai and Temora branches from today.

“Regional towns deserve basic services – it’s as simple as that,” Mr McCormack said.

“To close banks in Gundagai and Temora whilst a Senate Inquiry into bank closures in regional Australia is under way is, quite frankly, remarkably brash and quite appalling.

“Gundagai and Temora both have significant older population sectors who are still reliant on the services provided through face-to-face banking and, ironically, are the one most likely unable to travel to neighbouring towns to continue accessing these services.

“Businesses and organisations which have cash holdings face uncertainty as to what they will need to do to ensure their cash is deposited in a manner that doesn’t put people at risk, both from a road safety and a theft perspective.

“I appreciate the way people do their banking is changing but I implore the NAB to reconsider this short-sighted decision and maintain the services that these towns need, want, expect and, most importantly, deserve.

“These communities deserve more than this blatant disregard of their towns after generations of hard-working families have supported the NAB, particularly through Agribusiness.

“Country people have supported the NAB for decades and to have these branches pulled at what is really a moment’s notice in the scheme of things is galling.”