Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I take this opportunity to congratulate you on your reappointment to the position of Speaker. You bring a degree of professionalism, respect and credible dignity to that role. But, unfortunately, Mr Speaker, tonight I get to speak on an issue that is quite the opposite, that being the manner is which the Bendigo Bank executives have treated the people of Yarram in my community.

The Bendigo Bank likes to promote itself as the better big bank, but when it comes to shutting down branches, the Bendigo Bank is proving to be just as bad as the rest of them. During the break, I've received a letter from the bank dated June 2025 advising that Bendigo Bank would close two retail outlets, located in Yarram and Korumburra, with less than three months notice to the staff. This is a disgraceful decision from a bank which pretends to care for regional customers and then does exactly the same thing as the big four banks.

In the case of Yarram, the bank is saying it will transfer customer accounts to the Bendigo Bank branch in Traralgon. The only problem is that that branch is 64 kilometres away and it takes 50 minutes to drive there even in good conditions. So what about older residents, people with disabilities, community groups, small business people who need access to a branch for cash or for face-to-face service or people who are worried about scams? The bank executives who made this decision are demonstrating their contempt for regional people and their obsession with the bank's bottom line. They should hang their heads in shame.

This was the last bank in Yarram. Now, I'm certain that the Bendigo Bank in Yarram is a profitable operation, and there has been no consultation with the local community about alternatives to a complete branch closure. The bank is claiming it has 'sought to minimise any impact on customers' and has taken into consideration 'the proximity of other service locations', but forcing Yarram customers to drive to Traralgon is an abuse of their power. Why should their loyal customers have to pay for petrol to access their own money in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis?

The bank also claims it undertook 'a review of evolving customer preferences', but they never consulted with my office or with anyone in Yarram, and in forcing this decision on the community they've shown no respect for local needs. But it gets worse, because when I challenged the banking executives about their so-called review, they couldn't answer the most basic questions. You see, they initially told staff a week before the closure announcement that no decision had been made about the Yarram branch and that a review was under way, and they told their loyal customers the same thing, and they told the local media, but seven days later they announced the closure.

When I asked them what steps were taken as part of the review and when the board executive had actually met to discuss the issues and make its final decision, they refused to provide any details. They said it was commercial in confidence. They also refused to be interviewed by local ABC and answer any questions whatsoever. So I say they misled their staff, they misled the community and they misled the local media by pretending there was any formal review process whatsoever. Remember, the community had zero opportunities to provide any input and offer any alternatives to a full branch closure, such as reduced hours. Then Bendigo Bank refused to let me attend a community meeting to discuss the closure. I was invited by the community to attend, but the bank executives threatened to walk out of the meeting if I walked in. What a bunch of sooks!

When I signed a joint letter to the board from myself, the state member of parliament and the mayor requesting a meeting with the chair of the board and the executive, they refused to meet with us. In my 17 years as a member of parliament, I can't recall any corporate or any public authority refusing a legitimate request to meet with the elected leaders of the Gippsland community to discuss a matter of such significant public interest. Gutless is one word. Disrespectful, arrogant—you put whatever word you like.

The community is now calling on bank executives to help them form a community bank to ensure that a physical branch remains in Yarram. We will write to them again on behalf of the community. It's a reasonable request, and any decent corporation with an ounce of integrity would work with the community to provide a seamless transition to a new model of banking in Yarram. If the Bendigo Bank wants to salvage any of its reputation out of its appalling handling of this issue, it will support the community's efforts to establish a community bank and replace the retail outlet which is closing at the end of September despite the Yarram community's best efforts.

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