Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Families and Payments) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Commonwealth Bank in the mall in West Heidelberg is due to close in March, in just a few weeks time. As this is the only bank in the area, this will be a huge loss for the entire local community. That is why I recently wrote to the Commonwealth Bank's CEO urging him to keep West Heidelberg's bank open. Representatives from the bank have met with me and members of the local community. Local residents made it very clear that West Heidelberg needs to keep its bank.

West Heidelberg is home to many elderly pensioners and low-income families who do not have the ability to travel to banks in adjacent suburbs; nor do they have access to internet banking. I am concerned that the bank's closure could threaten the long-term viability of the mall. The flow-on effects of the bank's closure could be devastating for small businesses. The bank has played an important role in the area's regeneration, but I fear that the bank's closure could jeopardise that progress.

I was down at the mall recently and I was joined by many local residents. I want to say a huge thank you to all of those who are campaigning to keep the bank open in West Heidelberg—to Stavros Zikou and mall trader Rona McLaughlan. We will keep fighting. West Heidelberg needs to keep its bank open.