In an age where digital convenience is often celebrated, the importance of face-to-face service and community presence cannot be overstated, especially for our senior Australians.

The recent announcement of branch closures by some of Australia's major banks has sparked outrage among customers, particularly those residing in Greater Western Sydney, who feel they've been left in the lurch without proper consultation.

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) has been a fixture in the Doonside community of Greater Western Sydney for nearly 60 years, providing essential banking services to residents, small business owners, and families.

However, the community was dealt a heavy blow when it was announced that the local CBA branch would be closing its doors on 29 November.

Commonwealth Bank’s Doonside branch will be closing its doors on 29 November, sparking fury among customers. Credit: Shutterstock

This move has been met with fierce criticism from locals and politicians alike, with Blacktown MP Stephen Bali saying, ‘The Commonwealth bank is not only turning its back on the locals, it’s turning its back and destroying the local business community.’'

The decision to close the branch was made 'without any consultation’, according to MP Bali, leaving many to wonder if their loyalty to the bank was misplaced.

The closure is part of a broader trend, with CBA having shut down more than 350 branches across the country between 2018 and February 2024 and axing 54 per cent of its ATMs in the last five years.

Doonside residents were invited to visit nearby larger branches, which posed significant challenges for those without easy access to transportation.

MP Bali said Doonside is home to ‘approximately 10,000 people aged over 60 or people identified with long-term chronic health issues’ who are now ‘being forced to travel return trip of at least half-hour to a major shopping centre to undertake their banking needs’.

He added that ‘local observations indicate that an average of 60-80 people a day go to the bank or approximately 20,000 people transactions a year’, which meant that Doonside still needs a bank branch.

‘(The) local newsagency has a subagency as a post office, and the CBA expects this small business to be a sub-subagency for bank that generates 20,000 transactions,’ he said.

‘Westpoint Blacktown, Mount Druitt and Seven Hills Shopping Centre branches are popular banking centres for the Doonside community, and as a result, we’ve invested $5.1 million to expand our services for customers in the area,’ CBA stated.

‘These are larger branches, with more staff at each location, including home lending specialists, business bankers, and access to convenient self-service technology.’

‘We remain committed to maintaining the largest branch network in the country and warmly welcome our Doonside customers to our nearby branches.’

The situation in Doonside is not an isolated incident.

MP Stephen Bali criticised the closure of the Doonside Branch of CBA. Credit: Stephen Bali / YouTube

Over 70 kilometres away, in Katoomba in the Blue Mountains, ANZ has also closed its only branch, leaving an 80,000-person population with limited banking options.

The nearest branches are almost 90 minutes to two hours away by car, and for those unable to drive or use public transport, the alternative is online banking—a solution that is not feasible for everyone, particularly older residents who may not be as tech-savvy.

Local resident Michael, who has spent his life working with his hands, expressed his frustration, 'I’ve spent my whole life working with my hands. I can make anything.’

‘But you think I can operate that phone? I can't even turn on the computer.'

ANZ has responded by stating that branch transactions ‘have halved over the past five years’.

‘Today just one per cent of all transactions are done over-the-counter and almost four million customers use our mobile banking App,’ the statement read.

‘Since we announced the closure of the branch earlier this year, we have been working with our Katoomba branch customers to ensure they are well supported and aware of all the ways they can complete their banking, including using nearby branches, local ATMs, phone banking, or our team of community-based bankers, like mobile lenders.’

‘In June 2024, ANZ confirmed that we will maintain our regional branch numbers throughout Australia for three years.’

Key Takeaways

• Residents and business owners in Greater Western Sydney are upset about the closure of local bank branches, particularly the Doonside Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) branch.
• Blacktown MP Stephen Bali criticised the CBA's decision to close the Doonside branch without consultation, claiming it is detrimental to the local business community.
• Commonwealth Bank is directing customers to other branches, having invested $5.1 million in expanding services at nearby locations, although this may not be feasible for all affected customers.
• The ANZ bank in Katoomba also closed its only branch in the area, causing inconvenience to residents, especially those who are not comfortable with digital banking; ANZ states that only one per cent of transactions are over-the-counter and is working to support customers in transitioning to other forms of banking.

Have you found alternative solutions that work for you? How has your community been impacted? Let us know in the comments below.

 

[Suzanne rose]

I remember growing up how there were not that many branches of banks and how there were always very long lines waiting to be served.

Now I would be lucky to go into a bank once a year.

I know there are bus services straight from Doonside to Blacktown or St Mary's maybe they if they really need to go into the bank then they need to do their banking less, or change banks !

I'm sure they go to a larger area like Blacktown to shop as there are not that many shops in Doonside

 

[riskydave]

Branch transactions have halved not through choice but because banks have made it so difficult to do in the bank transactions with hours reduced, branches reduced etc. we have been given no choice but do it online now they are blaming the public for no Branch transactions.

 

[NotNats]

‘Since we announced the closure of the branch earlier this year, we have been working with our Katoomba branch customers to ensure they are well supported and aware of all the ways they can complete their banking, including using nearby branches, local ATMs, phone banking, or our team of community-based bankers, like mobile lenders.’

‘In June 2024, ANZ confirmed that we will maintain our regional branch numbers throughout Australia for three years.’

Have you found alternative solutions that work for you? How has your community been impacted? Let us know in the comments below.

The Banks don't care about anyone/thing but their profits. Lithgow only solution was to either go through the hassle of changing banks or do a round trip to either Katoomba or Bathurst, (which in total about an extra 2 hrs loss of our life and massive increase in some of our bills) plus it also had a knock-on effect as some of these people also decided to take some of their other actives out of Lithgow (food, clothing, etc).

 

[Benny's Light]

Maybe a solution to completely shutting down the bank is to have the bank on reduced hours or days. Maybe open two or three days a week rather than full time. This maybe a solution for cutting cost but also providing a service to the local community.

 

[Squizzy1]

When will people learn Banks are not your friend, and the RBA is no exception, they treat people with distain to say the least. The RC said as much, but they are untouchable by any world authority as displayed by the resulting penalty applied, a piddling fine and back to business as usual. In some jurisdictions they are even lorded with unknowability and secretivity, immune from any transparency by authorities.

 

[Zorro56]

Here we go again, more branch closures!!! Do not kid yourself, this is all about making more PROFIT!!!!. More profit translates to a greater return for shareholders and nice BIG FAT BONUSES for their executives and board members. Banks save mega bucks by not actually having to physically deal with their customers. They want our business and loyalty but offer us nothing in return. The less they have contact with their customers, the better they like it. As a former banker with 26 years in the industry, I am like a former cult member, who at every opportunity will try and call them out. The industry is controlled by the BIG 4 players plus Bendigo Bank. They are all in it together just like Coles and Woolies work together in the grocery industry. My advice is to reward them by taking your business elsewhere. There are plenty of smaller financial institutions which still have a government guarantee. Don't be lazy, do your research, and move your business away from them.

 

[PattiB]

I’m curious, why do so many of you need to constantly visit banks? I shop online a lot but we withdraw cash from the supermarket or an ATM. Of course I realise that it’s easier when you reside in a city & that it must be a nightmare for country people. My late parents lived in rural Tassie & used the local Post Office but I think that’s closed now. One of my elderly friends (94yr old) visits ANZ every fortnight to withdraw her pension & I often think that if I was a family member I’d have helped her change banks so that she could use our amazing local post office.

 

[darrellh]

I don't go to a bank often but when I do the customers are queued out the door, there is only one teller on and there is a useless person going up and down the queue asking what we are there for then saying yes we need to stay in the queue. They would be of better use behind a second teller window and serving the customers in a quicker more efficient manner. I think the banks fudge the figures to support their branch closures

 

[Kahlan28]

Banks take away or cut back on all their services, then say no one uses the services any longer, so the they close them down. It is OUR money in the Banks, yet they are always telling us what we can and can't do without any consultation or regard for customers, how is that right in anyone's mind. The digital age has caused more trouble and frustration than any other times. IIs not a step forward it's steps backwards. If it's not broken, leave it alone

 

[Mikeyboy2012]

Record profits, earned from customers. Yes they abandon those very customers by closing branches, especially for rural and remote locations.

Should the Federal Government step in to stop this, as they are doing with ensuring the continuous use of cash at essential businesses? Perhaps they should!