O’Brien condemns Bendigo Bank decision

Statement on Bendigo Bank Closures

The decision of the Bendigo Bank to close branches in Yarram and Korumburra is a corporate disgrace.

Regional communities, and Gippsland in particular, are sick of being treated like second class citizens and seeing their local facilities removed.

It is particularly disappointing to see the loss of the Bendigo Bank branches when Bendigo Bank has previously been seen to be different to the other big banks and has been more supportive of regional communities.

It is disappointing that a regionally-based bank is reducing services like this.

This will have an impact on local businesses and customers given the lack of banking services in both towns.

It is particularly galling to read statements about the “proximity of other service locations” when it comes to Yarram in particular, which is at least half an hour from the nearest banking services or bank branches.

I strongly condemn Bendigo Bank’s decisions on its branches and call for them to be reversed.

Nationals Leader and Member for Gippsland South has condemned the Bendigo Bank on their decision to close Yarram and Korumburra branches. The closure of Yarram means that town will be without a bricks and mortar bank since the big four deserted the town one by one over the past 10 years.