CLOSURE OF ANZ KATOOMBA BRANCH

The announcement that ANZ is closing their Katoomba branch is a profoundly disappointing decision for both customers and staff. This will cause stress and frustration for residents who bank with ANZ, and I’m particularly disappointed for the team at the bank whose jobs are impacted by this. I’ve conveyed these concerns to ANZ.

I think many customers in the Mountains will be seriously considering whether they should continue to hold an account with a bank where the closest branch is 90 minutes away.

While I know not as many people bank directly with a branch as they did a decade ago, people often go into a branch when they are dealing with urgent or complicated matters and need in person support. Driving 90 minutes for a service that they previously accessed within minutes will be unacceptable for most people.

While ANZ has offered their customers alternatives like online, telephone and mobile banking, these are simply not a replacement for in person services.

ANZ, unlike other banks, is not part of bank@Post with Australia Post, so there is no alternative service for ANZ customers in the Blue Mountains and I’ve raised that with ANZ. If ANZ doesn’t see the need to provide any in person banking services to their Blue Mountains customers, I encourage people to consider banks who continue to service our community.