The
Wycheproof community has received information that the ANZ Bank, Wycheproof
Branch will close on 1 June 2016.
This
is a major blow for the Wycheproof community which is in a period of
revitalisation with new businesses opening and young business people choosing
to settle in Wycheproof.
The
news has created anxiety for both residents and business owners, including
farmers, who rely on face-to-face banking. It also means the loss of two
part-time jobs in our small community and employment training opportunities.
So far
the ANZ Bank has not provided any information about the closure to Wycheproof
Branch account holders.
Wycheproof
VISION (town forum) has invited representatives of the ANZ Bank to a community
meeting on Tuesday 22 March 2016, 7pm, at the Senior Citizens Rooms, Broadway,
Wycheproof.
“The
meeting is an opportunity for ANZ Bank personnel to explain the reasons for the
pending closure of the Wycheproof Branch and provide information regarding
future ANZ banking for account holders in our community”, Wycheproof VISION
President, Jacinta Miller said.
“The
meeting will canvass options for the community to lobby for the retention of
the branch, to maintain an ANZ Bank presence in our town, or seek alternative
banking solutions. We believe the Wycheproof community has a good business case
to put for the retention of face-to-face banking in Wycheproof.
“While
the community has not been told of the bank’s reason for closing the branch, it
is presumed that the emphasis now in banking, for customers to use internet or
electronic banking is behind this decision. The bank has not taken into account
the fact that most of our rural residents rely on face-to-face banking due to
limited or non-existent access to the internet. The action of the bank makes
little sense in the face of this”, Ms Miller said.
