In a recent development that has sparked controversy, a major financial institution has come under scrutiny for its abrupt closure of a branch in a remote area, leaving vulnerable customers in a precarious situation.

The move has raised questions about corporate responsibility and the impact on community access to essential services, prompting calls for transparency and accountability in service provision.

Westpac, one of Australia's major banks, was sanctioned for abruptly closing its branch in Tennant Creek, a remote area nearly 1000km south of Darwin.

This decision has not only inconvenienced the community but has also placed vulnerable customers in a precarious position, highlighting the stark reality of banking accessibility issues in remote regions.

The Banking Code Compliance Committee (BCCC) criticised Westpac, finding that the bank's actions have put vulnerable customers at a ‘high risk’ of harm.

Westpac faced sanctions for suddenly shutting down a branch in a remote Northern Territory community. Credit: Shutterstock

The industry watchdog discovered that Westpac had significantly and consistently violated the Banking Code of Practice.

The sudden closure of the Tennant Creek branch affected approximately 3,400 customers, many of whom have been left stranded without access to essential banking services.

The closure profoundly impacted the community, with up to 30 customers a day seeking assistance from CatholicCare NT, a local community group, to access their banking services.

The situation was particularly dire for those who do not speak English as their first language and those who struggle with online banking services.

Ian Govey, the Chair of the BCCC, expressed his concern, stating that Westpac fell short of its promise to customers.

‘Their actions have had a significant and detrimental impact on many people within the Tennant Creek community,’ he stated.

‘Particularly for vulnerable customers, such as the elderly or those for whom English is not a first language.’

‘Westpac’s failure to respond promptly to community concerns and provide adequate support was troubling and appears to have disproportionately impacted on vulnerable customers,’ he added.

The BCCC's report was damning. It revealed that Westpac did not provide information about the transition and support arrangements with customers.

A letter was issued to customers 21 days after the branch closed, and a remote services team was deployed to the area five weeks after the closure.

‘This delay was unacceptable given the branch was closed with no notice, leaving customers unprepared to transition to other ways of banking,’ the report claimed.

‘The breaches posed a high risk of harm to customers—the members of the community who were most affected, or at risk of being most affected.’

‘Westpac’s response was inadequate and slow, despite concerns being raised by the community and the BCCC,’ it continued.

According to a spokesperson from Westpac, ongoing safety and security concerns in Tennant Creek necessitated the branch closure, prompting them to bypass standard procedures to ensure staff safety.

‘These circumstances were specific to the Tennant Creek branch and included damage to our branch and ATM,’ they said.

‘Customers were notified of the closure and alternative banking options via SMS ahead of closure, as well as posters in the branch.’

The spokesperson acknowledged that greater support could have been provided to customers during the closure and stated that they have since revised and reinforced their protocols for branch closures.

The repercussions of Westpac's sudden closure of a branch in a remote area, leaving vulnerable customers without essential services, highlight broader concerns about bank branch closures across the country.

Earlier this year, Westpac announced a series of closures affecting local communities, raising questions about accessibility to banking services, particularly for elderly and remote residents.

These closures have sparked debates about corporate responsibility and its impact on community welfare, prompting calls for greater transparency and support during such transitions.

Key Takeaways

• Westpac was sanctioned for abruptly closing a branch in a remote Northern Territory community, negatively impacting customers.
• The Banking Code Compliance Committee found Westpac breached the Banking Code of Practice by not supporting customers adequately.
• Vulnerable customers, including the elderly and those with limited English skills, were left without proper access to banking services.
• Westpac acknowledged the shortcomings in its closure procedure and has since reviewed and strengthened its branch closure protocols.

Have you been affected by a branch closure? How have you managed your banking needs during this time? We invite you to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.

 

[Teddy10]

Absolutely correct you can go to Post Office and when our only Bankwest closes in Mandurah, a thriving town south of Perth, the line at the Post Office will get even longer than it is currently.

So true. Fancy closing a bank in Mandurah, such a big place. Seems to me the all the big entities just want our money then leave us in the dark. That Westpac in Tennent Creek that closed unexpectedly, had 3,500 customers OUT IN THE BUSH. What! How shameful leaving all those remote people with NO where to go!! People can't progress without banks in remote areas. Stalemate... Even if the banks are not prosperous in these areas they should stay open and let the larger towns/cities be a backup for any losses. Apaulling behaviour WESTPAC.

 

[JeffPearson]

Not just in remote areas of the country: BENDIGO BANK rationalised closure of the Montrose Branch and moving all accounts to the "nearby" Mount Evelyn branch by leaving the ATM in Montrose for customers to use in its steady. This has not worked well for those of us with mobility issues who do not drive as some transactions cannot be completed at an ATM (deposit of cheques which some companies still insist on) is one such example. No other bank has a branch withing travel distance using a mobility scooter and Mount Evelyn is 5km away up a steep hill with no footpaths! And all banks say they have the interests of customers at heart: not so me thinks more to do with the profit which they can generate!!

 

[rehandra]

Not sure what you mean by your comment

If you have been to Tennant Creek you would know...I have!

 

[Rob44]

yes that's want they want. Thousands of people get paid by cheque which will need to be deposited at the bank. How's that work if there's no bank?

Social Credit system, as per PR China..

 

[kevinwoodtufftyke52@gmail]

Making billions of dollars in profit and then screwing their customers! Heads should roll!

 

[Miss Chris]

"....those for whom English is not a first language.’

Is it even their second language? Teach them English in an English spoken country.

To get some visas here even people from the UK have to pass an English test!!

I believe there is facility, TAFE, in Perth anyway so I presume statewide, that is made available to those people entering Australia that don’t speak English…It’s free …it’s either three or six months i think, but it’s up to the individual to attend…I used to volunteer with Read Write Now, and once or twice a week we had groups of six to eight people with a volunteer or teacher, and we would have activities geared towards understanding the English Language, at least enough to go shopping and to the doctor etc. It was also done on a one on one basis as well….My point is that there are venues available that offer help, but if it’s not taken advantage of what more is it prudent to offer………I mean our children are learning other languages to better getting along with the different nationalities of their peers….Of course, there are those who have absolutely no intention of speaking our language, nor of integrating with our communities or the keeping of our laws…

 

[Aussiecris]

"....those for whom English is not a first language.’

Is it even their second language? Teach them English in an English spoken country.

To get some visas here even people from the UK have to pass an English test!!

What an ignorant comment. There is a high indigenous population in and around Tennant Creek and English is definitely not their first language. The language of the local people was around long before English arrived no visa application required I believe

 

[Aussiecris]

I believe there is facility, TAFE, in Perth anyway so I presume statewide, that is made available to those people entering Australia that don’t speak English…It’s free …it’s either three or six months i think, but it’s up to the individual to attend…I used to volunteer with Read Write Now, and once or twice a week we had groups of six to eight people with a volunteer or teacher, and we would have activities geared towards understanding the English Language, at least enough to go shopping and to the doctor etc. It was also done on a one on one basis as well….My point is that there are venues available that offer help, but if it’s not taken advantage of what more is it prudent to offer………I mean our children are learning other languages to better getting along with the different nationalities of their peers….Of course, there are those who have absolutely no intention of speaking our language, nor of integrating with our communities or the keeping of our laws…

The English as a second language is referring to the high indigenous population of this area, we have already wiped out so many indigenous languages what an insult to expect original Australians to 'speak our language '. Some respect and education needed around the peoples who were the original inhabitants of our land .

 

[Rob44]

I believe there is facility, TAFE, in Perth anyway so I presume statewide, that is made available to those people entering Australia that don’t speak English…It’s free …it’s either three or six months i think, but it’s up to the individual to attend…I used to volunteer with Read Write Now, and once or twice a week we had groups of six to eight people with a volunteer or teacher, and we would have activities geared towards understanding the English Language, at least enough to go shopping and to the doctor etc. It was also done on a one on one basis as well….My point is that there are venues available that offer help, but if it’s not taken advantage of what more is it prudent to offer………I mean our children are learning other languages to better getting along with the different nationalities of their peers….

What an ignorant comment. There is a high indigenous population in and around Tennant Creek and English is definitely not their first language. The language of the local people was around long before English arrived no visa application required I believe

Sort of like the Celtic language and dialects before the Romans invaded? Dammit, I was still forced to learn Latin for 5 years in the 1960s! Racist bastards, those Romans!

Interesting to note that Welsh is still used as an everyday language in north Wales, and indeed in the 1960s was the first language for a good number of people, despite 1400 years of Wales having been invaded by bad-mannered barbarians.

 

[Rob44]

What an ignorant comment. There is a high indigenous population in and around Tennant Creek and English is definitely not their first language. The language of the local people was around long before English arrived no visa application required I believe

What an ignorant comment. There is a high indigenous population in and around Tennant Creek and English is definitely not their first language. The language of the local people was around long before English arrived no visa application required I believe

Try crossing into the tribal land occupied by one's long-time tribal enemy...........One might get chopped up, and if female, after having been gang-raped. No visa needed.

 

[David567]

One way to solve the problem with the Big Banks is to change to another bank. It's the only way to show them we won't accept their scamming thieving ways. The sooner people do this the sooner they might change their ways and stop treating customer like we don't mean anything to them except for money.

 

[Knell]

Try crossing into the tribal land occupied by one's long-time tribal enemy...........One might get chopped up, and if female, after having been gang-raped. No visa needed.

Yes and vice versa.

 

[Rob44]

Yes and vice versa.

Very true.

 

[Rob44]

"...... the Chair of the BCCC, expressed his concern, stating that Westpac fell short of its promise to customers."

That will truly frighten Westpac, ANZ-Suncorp, Commonwealth, NAB and Bendigo banks, all of which are reducing staff numbers in their branches, cutting out branches, forcing us to use ATMs, not providing statements through Australia Post (no, I am not buying a mobile phone to read my bank balance and nor am I going to use internet banking), forcing us to end using bank cheques to pay bills etc etc. Since internet banking was introduced, how many robberies (scams) of peoples' money have occurred? It is a billion dollar industry. But if a burglar breaks into your house and steals a silver teaspoon........Shock horror!

The BCCC "Watchdog" has no teeth and is a dog that is not worth the letterhead it might still use.

 

[Miss Chris]

The English as a second language is referring to the high indigenous population of this area, we have already wiped out so many indigenous languages what an insult to expect original Australians to 'speak our language '. Some respect and education needed around the peoples who were the original inhabitants of our land .

Ah I didn’t get that reference because it didn’t even enter my head to be honest…..Of course the indigenous population should not be forced nor expected to learn the official language of Australia……although it is helpful in understanding and getting along, and not being able to communicate makes things difficult, and misunderstanding can cause huge problems. I agree with you that the indigenous language should not be lost in the name of progress or anything else, nor should their customs and traditions….i know that the indigenous peoples of Australia arrived here about 50,000 years ago and were untouched until about 4,000 years ago…..DNA from our indigenous people can still be found today, I believe there are many whose DNA is still pure, and their history should be preserved………. It would be nice though if we all could speak a common language…..

 

[Miss Chris]

Sort of like the Celtic language and dialects before the Romans invaded? Dammit, I was still forced to learn Latin for 5 years in the 1960s! Racist bastards, those Romans!

Interesting to note that Welsh is still used as an everyday language in north Wales, and indeed in the 1960s was the first language for a good number of people, despite 1400 years of Wales having been invaded by bad-mannered barbarians.

I think it’s great that Welsh is still being taught in welsh schools and is their first language in places…. I like that the Gaelic is still spoken in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland…I also had to learn Latin for 3 years in secondary school, also in the mid 60s….masses were still in Latin at the time. I do think though that everyone living in any country should be able to communicate in a common language ….we should all be able to understand each other whilst preserving the original or native languages….

 

[Rob44]

I think it’s great that Welsh is still being taught in welsh schools and is their first language in places…. I like that the Gaelic is still spoken in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland…I also had to learn Latin for 3 years in secondary school, also in the mid 60s….masses were still in Latin at the time. I do think though that everyone living in any country should be able to communicate in a common language ….we should all be able to understand each other whilst preserving the original or native languages….

One might wonder what language was spoken by the Picts in Scotland before the Gaels invaded from Ireland; I gather that around maybe 400-800AD the Picts had been absorbed by the Geals. Hence I suppose Gaelic took over in Scotland as the dominant language. English is the world's "pidgin" and there are dialects I can't understand even back in the UK. Broad Yorkshire is one, carrying a lot of Scandinavian-derived words, as does the Scottish dialect. I was once had a chat with someone from near Bristol about 60 miles south of where I used to live and could understand about 1 word in 3. As for West Indian or even deep-south American........

Oddly enough having been forced to do 5 years of Latin for O-levels I have found it can help with trying to reading Romanian with use of a dictionary to try get my head round the Slavic mix in there.

 

[Rob44]

Ah I didn’t get that reference because it didn’t even enter my head to be honest…..Of course the indigenous population should not be forced nor expected to learn the official language of Australia……although it is helpful in understanding and getting along, and not being able to communicate makes things difficult, and misunderstanding can cause huge problems. I agree with you that the indigenous language should not be lost in the name of progress or anything else, nor should their customs and traditions….i know that the indigenous peoples of Australia arrived here about 50,000 years ago and were untouched until about 4,000 years ago…..DNA from our indigenous people can still be found today, I believe there are many whose DNA is still pure, and their history should be preserved………. It would be nice though if we all could speak a common language…..

I don't expect the Aborigines to learn to speak English. But I don't have time to learn about 90? different Aboriginal languages,just as no whitie has the time to learn the 850 different languages in PNG, so those sensible whities, and Papua New Guineans who need to communicate across tribal boundaries, in PNG learn TokPisin. So if people want to communicate in Australia, learn the common 'Tok Pisin', English, spoken by around 25 million people let alone much of the rest of the world for whom it is a second language. If people don't want learn English, that is their problem. Learning English does not exclude retaining one's "birth language", ask a Maori or Papua New Guinean or a Vietnamese.

 

[Miss Chris]

Wh

One might wonder what language was spoken by the Picts in Scotland before the Gaels invaded from Ireland; I gather that around maybe 400-800AD the Picts had been absorbed by the Geals. Hence I suppose Gaelic took over in Scotland as the dominant language. English is the world's "pidgin" and there are dialects I can't understand even back in the UK. Broad Yorkshire is one, carrying a lot of Scandinavian-derived words, as does the Scottish dialect. I was once had a chat with someone from near Bristol about 60 miles south of where I used to live and could understand about 1 word in 3. As for West Indian or even deep-south American........

Oddly enough having been forced to do 5 years of Latin for O-levels I have found it can help with trying to reading Romanian with use of a dictionary to try get my head round the Slavic mix in there.

When I lived in Germany I found it relatively easy to understand and speak because many words were Scottish slang…I also attended a course on medical terminology, fascinating……Learning the roots of our language and where it originated is so very interesting, and it really helps when doing word games and crossword puzzles………

 

[Rob44]

yes that's want they want. Thousands of people get paid by cheque which will need to be deposited at the bank. How's that work if there's no bank?

I reckon Coles and Woolworths will do the same thing; make queuing at those self-checkouts so unpleasant that we will be obliged to order groceries to be delivered, and then the price-gouge people will truly have us by the short and curlies!