Regional bank closures a real cause for concern says Member for Murray

"Some 28 per cent of banks in my rural electorate have closed in the last five years, according to research I commissioned from the NSW Parliamentary library," Mrs Dalton said.

Of recent note was the closure of Bendigo Bank in Griffith in 2020 and ANZ Bank in Leeton in 2021.

A spokesman for Bendigo Bank said at the time that there had been a 'detailed review' of their customer's banking habits, the number of in-branch transactions and visitors to the branch.

Mrs Dalton said that the closures have had a devastating impact on local residents and pensioners in particular.

"A number of regional pensioners have never used a computer or a smartphone or bankcard, so are left to fend for themselves," Mrs Dalton said.

"One suggestion is to set up 'smart ATMs' in country towns, to facilitate banking using your phone or tablet.

"Can you imagine your 90-year-old grandma doing that?"

And whilst both Griffith and Leeton do have other bank branches, a number of smaller rural communities have been left with no bank at all.

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Mrs Dalton said she believed that the current federal government taskforce into regional banking branch closures is a 'complete scam'.

"The big banks are part of the taskforce. But the community are not," Mrs Dalton said.

"The terms of reference doesn't even consider how to keep banks open.

The Murray MP said the federal government and opposition need to look at the many previous inquiries into bank closures, and implement the long-neglected recommendations.

"A 2004 inquiry, Money Matters in the Bush, recommended the government impose community service obligations on banks, if they refuse to regulate themselves," Mrs Dalton said.

"The Government could also look at bringing bank a public banking option.

"If we don't act now, they'll be no banks left in rural NSW."

Griffith currently has a number of bank branches still in operation including Commonwealth Bank, Westpac, Beyond Bank, NAB, ANZ, St George and Rabobank.

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