• PHOTO: We’re not a cashless society – yet – and Coonamble Shire Council is looking to ensure face-to-face banking services remain available as big banks contine to close branches and reduce opening hours.
WITH bank branches around Australia continuing to close and Coonamble’s two remaining outlets reduced to morning-only services, Coonamble Shire councillors are looking for ways to shore up shopfront banking.
Narromine lost their National Australia Bank (NAB) branch and Wee Waa’s ANZ closed in mid 2021.
The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) will be closing their Gilgandra branch and ATM (automatic teller machine) in December 2022 and Moree’s Westpac will close in February 2023.
In Coonamble, local staff in both the CBA and NAB branches have been shared with Walgett – where the community secured a commitment of no reduction in services – and working as part of a network-wide telephone banking service behind closed doors each afternoon.
There have also been days where each of the banks have not opened at all, with no prior notice to customers, including on Thursday 14 April this year when both local branches were closed the final business day ahead of the Easter break.
At their September meeting, councillors instructed the General Manager to seek clarification of the NAB’s opening hours and “the organisation’s future intentions regarding the operation of the branch in Coonamble.”
A similar approach had been made to the CBA after opening hours were reduced with no clear outcome.
Council also instructed the GM to make enquiries with other banking institutions regarding the potential of opening a shopfront to operate on a full-time basis in Coonamble.
At their October meeting Council noted the long-term relationship between the Reliance Credit Union and the Gulargambone Rural Transaction Centre, which currently provides the only full-day cash-based banking transactions in the district.
“We are not the only council in New South Wales worried about the retraction of banking services,” said CSC General Manager Ross Earl.
“It’s an issue being looked at in many towns and there were a couple of motions made at the Local Government NSW conference recently.”
Mr Earl says that the push to online banking does not suit everyone and is not suitable in all situations with some people needing assistance from bank staff for a range of reasons.
“Having a bank branch is important for older people, for businesses and community groups who want that security with their money and need to have cash,” he said.
“Imagine trying to run your local Show or a big footy game with no change.
“Whilst we’re heading towards a cashless society there’s some things which still rely heavily on the ability for people to have cash available.”
Mr Earl advised that the council’s investigations are at an early stage.
“At this stage we’re only just looking at what is happening with our two current banks,” he said.
“I have approached both banks and at this stage they have no plans to further reduce opening hours.”
“We look forward to them maintaining their presence in Coonamble shire,” Mr Earl said.