McCORMACK URGES JUNEE COMMUNITY TO SPEAK UP AT REGIONAL BANKING INQUIRY

With the Bank Closures in Regional Australia Senate Inquiry set to take place this week, Federal Member for Riverina Michael McCormack is urging the Junee community to come out in force and make their opposition to regional bank closures heard.

“Junee is set to have a great opportunity to speak up against bank closures in their community,” Mr McCormack said.

“The Junee community, Mayor Neil Smith and I have fought for the Senate Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport to hold a sitting of the inquiry into regional banking closures in Junee.

“Junee is a community of 6,500 and without a local bank, many would have to make a one hour round trip to Wagga Wagga just to access simple banking services.

“Regional communities such as Junee are often reliant on their local bank branch.

“Without bank branches, business, farms and particularly the elderly suffer immense disadvantage when compared to their city counterparts.”

Mr McCormack fears further bank closures in regional towns will decimate once thriving communities.

“How can an elderly person who may not be able to travel or use online banking continue to live in towns such as Junee once their banks close?” he asked.

“I don’t want to see people who have lived in these towns their entire lives being forced to move to larger population centres just to access basic services which they once had.”

Mr McCormack has pressed the Commonwealth Bank to keep their Junee branch open even after the inquiry ends. The bank has since guaranteed its regional banks will remain open for at least the next three years.

The public hearing will be held from 9:45 am to 3:00 pm Thursday 21 September at the Junee Ex-Services Memorial Club.