Gunnedah Shire Mayor Jamie Chaffey says a decision to close the Gunnedah branch of the ANZ Bank is “deeply disappointing”.
ANZ announced this month the Gunnedah branch would operate on reduced hours ahead of permanent closure on Tuesday, May 16, 2023.
“This announcement is a clear example of a business putting profits before people,” Cr Chaffey said.
“The ANZ Bank has been part of the fabric of Gunnedah since the 1950s – much longer if you count the time before their merger with the English, Scottish and Australia Bank. They have been in the same building at the intersection of Conadilly and Marquis Streets for more than 50 years.
“There are community members here who have been loyal customers to the bank since the branch opened. They continue to do their banking there, alongside local businesses who can’t do all of their banking online. How much profit has our Shire contributed to the bank over those years?
“We could also lose the three families of the skilled employees who work there, with no guarantee from ANZ they will be able to work remotely from Gunnedah.
“This decision – which I have been told by the district manager cannot be reversed – is absolutely disgusting. Our Shire and our economy is growing. In this era of even greater opportunities, our financial institutions should be increasing, not withdrawing their support for our community.”
