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On the home stretch
Not long now until the State Election. Candidates for the Seat of Morwell were allocated their ballot places on Friday. Morwell is expected to be one of the tightest races in Victoria. FULL STORY - PAGE 13
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“However we know from bitter experience that when one bank closes other often follow, sometimes leaving towns without any local banking services.” Ms Angrisano said banks should be required to provide a minimum level of service to customers and “stop cannibalising their local branch network”. She said the union was also calling on the federal government to inquire into the provision of local banking services, particularly in regional areas. “Don’t believe the banks when they claim customers prefer banking online,” Ms Angrisano said. “Our members tell us that the numbers of over the counter transactions in a branch often have limits placed upon them and once that limit is reached, customers are taken to a computer inside the branch or to an ATM and shown how to do their banking online.”
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Latrobe City Council has been told that all ANZ Moe staff will be retained and relocated to Traralgon. A Latrobe City spokesperson said council still encouraged the community to bank with existing local branches, or use online and Australia Post’s Bank@ Post services where available. “Council remains open to working alongside banks to ensure local communities remain empowered as services change,” the spokesperson said. “While it is understandable that these decisions aren’t made lightly by corporate banks and there has been a significant shift towards online banking for many customers - access remains paramount; “particularly for community members that may face certain barriers and small businesses that require cash float and deposit facilities.”
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THE Latrobe Valley is copping another banking blow, with ANZ, another of the ‘big four banks’, withdrawing from Moe next year. ANZ has confirmed it will close its Moe branch as from April 2023. ANZ district manager, Minh Vuong, said 80 per cent of Moe customers were using online and mobile banking. Mr Vuong said in-branch transactions had slumped by half in the past four years. “We have personally written to our Moe customers to help them with alternate banking options and our relationship bankers continue to visit many of our business customers at their locations and are also available on the phone and online,” Mr Vuong said. “Customers can visit our Traralgon
branch for their face-face banking needs and they can also use the ATMX network at no charge and ATMs operated by the other major banks, fee-free.” Mr Vuong also suggested customers could access cash from major supermarkets’ EFTPOS systems. However, the Finance Sector Union has slammed the decision, stating branch closures had a “devastating” impact on small towns and regional centres. FSU national secretary, Julia Angrisano, said it also unfairly affected those forced to travel further to do their banking over the counter. “Residents in regional areas could decide to close accounts when a particular bank leaves and move to one that continues to have a local presence,” Ms Angrisano said.
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By MICHELLE SLATER
LEST WE FORGET