Latest news with #JanetLay
Sky News AU
14-07-2025
- Business
- Sky News AU
'Keep our bank open': Small Tasmanian community fights to overturn looming closure of Queenstown Bendigo Bank
A Tasmanian community has launched a bid to save its last banking branch on the West Coast ahead of the looming closure of Bendigo Bank's Queenstown site. Bendigo Bank, which operates Australia's second biggest regional branch network, recently confirmed the closure of 10 branches across parts of Tasmania, Victoria and Queensland. In Tasmania, the West Coast Queenstown branch till shut from September 26, while the Kings Meadow site in Launceston will close on August 1. A petition has since begun in a bid to keep the doors open at the Queenstown site, which is the last standing branch of any Aussie bank in the historic mining town. Local resident Janet Lay, who is spearheading the online petition, told the branch is a "vital essential service" for the West Coast community. Ms Lay fears the closure of the Queenstown site will force locals to travel lengthy distances for another physical branch, or resort to online banking. "I do not do online banking - I refuse to," Ms Lay said. For Ms Lay, in-person banking offers an experience online services cannot as speaking to a teller makes her "feel more in control" of her finances. "You're actually dealing with a person and not just a machine," Ms Lay said. "You can get real-time information. They (bank staffers) can assist you with any questions that you have." The 48-year-old has concerns about how the branch closure will impact older members of the Queenstown and broader West Coast community who prefer to bank in person, like her mother. "For my elderly mother, she will be extremely adversely impacted by this," Ms Lay said. Ms Lay said her mum has always banked person-to-person, and has never used an ATM. "There is no way she will ever do online banking because she just doesn't understand it and trust it, as many of our elderly in our community, and myself, don't trust online banking," she said. Ms Lay said online scams are also a concern while completing financial tasks online. The next closest Bendigo Bank branch to Queenstown is located on the coastal town of Burnie, which is about a two-hour drive north. Ms Lay claimed the travel would impose an "extra cost" for individuals, community groups or local businesses hoping to do in person banking. The closure of the Queenstown bank will also mean the removal of its ATM, leaving only one machine left in town, which Ms Lay said can often be unreliable. "Our local community markets around the West Coast rely on people going in with cash, so they would be adversely impacted," she said, speaking of the branch and ATM closures. While acknowledging nearby Australia Post offices offer banking services like cash withdrawals or deposits, Ms Lay believes it cannot replace the services offered by a bank or its tellers. The petition, created on July 9, had amassed 270 signatures at the time of publishing. "The ultimate goal is to change the Bendigo Bank's decision and to keep our bank open," Ms Lay said. "Even if they reduce (hours) down to one day a week, or if they open one weekday and a Saturday once a fortnight. "Even to be open on a Saturday would let people that work five days a week and can't get in there during the week to be able to go into the bank and use it." Bendigo Bank confirmed the branch has been operating on reduced hours since the beginning of July, opening on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10.00am to 1.00pm, and 1.30pm to 4.00pm. According to online Bendigo Bank figures, the Queenstown branch had 308 personal banking customers who made three or more regular visits in the year from May 2024 to April 2025. About 190 customers made 12 or more visits to the branch for personal banking in the same timeframe. The site had 66 business banking customers who made three or more visits over the last year, or 197 who attended the branch a dozen or more times. In terms of personal banking transactions, the number of cash withdrawals hit a four-year high in 2023 at 150, up from 148 in 2022 and 141 in 2021. However, the rate of personal banking cash withdrawals dropped in 2024 to a total of 95 before falling again to 61 in 2025. A total of 2,222 personal cash deposits were recorded at the Queenstown Bendigo branch in 2021, followed by 2,289 in 2022, and 1,959 in 2023. This rate increased to 2,726 in 2024 - the highest in the four-year period - before dipping to 2,433 in 2025. According to the Bendigo Bank data, there were 2,234 business banking cash deposits in 2021, followed by 2,092 in 2022, 1,757 in 2023, 1,658 in 2024 and 1,219 in 2025. A Bendigo Bank spokesperson said the decision to close the Queenstown branch came after a "review of evolving customer preferences, a reduction in business activity and an increase in costs". "The Bank apologises for any inconvenience. Bendigo Bank is proud of its regional heritage and operates Australia's second largest regional branch network," a spokesperson said. "To preserve our ability to continue delivering for our customers and communities, we must ensure our branches are adequately supported and resourced." Bendigo Bank said a range of banking options remain available to affected customers, confirming there is "no impact to how their accounts operate". "Customers can continue to transact as normal at any Bendigo Bank branch, ATM or at any time via internet banking, our mobile app or by phone on 1300 236 344," the bank said. The bank said the nearest Australia Post Office for Bank@Post services is located at 32 Orr Street, next door to the closing Queenstown branch. "Bendigo Bank maintains more branches per customer than any other Australian Bank," a spokesperson said. "The Bank is committed to its branch network and the personalised interactions that occur in branch every day."
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bendigo Bank customers fight against closure of last bank in town: ‘Kick in the guts'
Residents of Tasmania's Queenstown are fighting to keep the last bank branch in town open after Bendigo Bank announced it would shut its doors from September. The impending closure means their nearest bank branch is now a two-hour drive away. Janet Lay told Yahoo Finance she was 'absolutely furious' when she found out about the branch closure. The 47-year-old carer said she had been a customer with the bank for the last 20 years. 'It's not the only bank in town, it's the only bricks and mortar bank on the entire west coast,' Lay said. RELATED Bendigo Bank to shut 10 branches with regional towns left with no bank ATO tax return warning for 2 million Aussies over dangerous act Warning for working from home Aussies over common practice 'For the last 12 months, as the hours have been scaled back, we've continuously been told that, no, the bank's not closing down, the bank will always be here, we'll be here to support you. 'Now, a few months later, it's closing down. So Australia's most trusted bank, in the eyes of the west coast, is certainly not living up to its name.' Lay said she preferred to do her banking in person, including paying her mortgage every month, and predominantly transacted with cash. 'That's my preference. I prefer to have more control over my finances, as do a lot of people, so you can budget your money and you know exactly where every cent is going,' she said. The Queenstown branch is set to close permanently from Friday, September 26. It means residents will be a two-hour drive from their nearest branch in Burnie. Residents can access basic banking services through Australia Post's Bank@Post service, with limits for cash deposits and withdrawals in place. There is only one other ATM in town, an ATMx outside the Railway Supermarket, which charges fees.A Bendigo Bank spokesperson told Yahoo Finance the bank had made the 'difficult decision' to close the branch following 'a review of evolving customer preferences, a reduction in business activity and an increase in costs'. 'The Bank apologises for any inconvenience. Bendigo Bank is proud of its regional heritage and operates Australia's second largest regional branch network,' the spokesperson said. 'To preserve our ability to continue delivering for our customers and communities, we must ensure our branches are adequately supported and resourced.' Branch data showed there had been 61 cash withdrawals made at the branch in 2025, dropping from 141 cash withdrawals in 2021. Meanwhile, 2,433 cash deposits and 107 cheque deposits were made this year. About 308 personal banking customers and 66 business banking customers made three or more regular visits over the last year. The Queenstown closure was one of the 10 branches that Bendigo Bank confirmed would be closing in the coming months across Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania. The federal government struck a deal with the Big Four banks earlier this year to keep their regional banks open until at least mid-2027. An earlier solution floated by the government involved a levy on banks with little or no regional presence. The shift towards digital banking has been a big factor leading to the decline in bank branches, with the Australian Banking Association noting branch interactions had dropped 50 per cent in recent years. About 36 per cent of bank branches in regional Australia have closed since 2017, according to the government. West Coast Council Mayor Shane Pitt told Yahoo Finance the bank's closure would have a 'huge impact', particularly given the community's ageing population. 'A lot of people still like face-to-face banking and also the fact that they are pulling out the ATM as part of this bank closure means Queenstown will be left with just one ATM at the supermarket,' he said. 'Given that we rely on tourism a fair bit on the west coast as well, it's just another kick in the guts for tourism and the west coast.' Pitt said there was 'no consultation at all' with the community about the closure. He noted a Bendigo Bank representative had previously assured them 12 months ago that it would not be closing the bank. The Bendigo Bank previously operated five days a week but reduced hours to three days a week with lunch closures last year. It is now open only on Tuesdays from 10am to 1pm and Thursdays from 1:30pm to 4pm until its scheduled September closure. Pitt said he was fighting to keep the bank branch open. 'We've moved a motion to discuss with Bendigo Bank whether a community bank option is on the table and whether they will keep the bank open until at least June, 2026 when the lease of the building runs out so at least it gives us a chance to look at other options, if there is any,' he said. Lay has started an online petition opposing the bank closure, which has received more than 260 signatures. She said there was 'a lot of frustration in the community' over the closure. '[There's] a lot of upset people, a lot of anxiety about how they're going to manage their banking moving forward,' she said. 'Bendigo Bank in doing this is also sending out a message to people looking to move to the west coast, to businesses looking to open on the west coast, or the mines looking to do further investment, don't bother, the west coast is dead.'
