Westpac branch closures in NSW, QLD, WA, SA and Victoria with job losses to come

One of Australia’s biggest banks will close almost two dozen branches across the country, leaving several towns without any face-to-face support for their finances.

Westpac will close another 23 branches in the coming weeks, taking its tally of closures to 95 within four months. 

Coober Pedy, Kapunda and Tailem Bend in South Australia as well as Carnamah in Western Australia now no longer have a Westpac branch in their town. 

Other Westpac branches set to be axed include Campbelltown, Hay and Moree in NSW; Port Douglas in Queensland; Beaumaris, Endeavour Hills and Gisborne in Victoria and the Katherine branch in the Northern Territory.

The branch closures also mean 92 people will lose their jobs. 

Westpac is set to shut another 23 branches, taking its tally of closures to 95 in four months

The Finance Sector Union (FSU) National Secretary Julia Angrisano said the federal Government needed to intervene or regional communities would lose access to in-person banking facilities. 

‘We need the federal government to step in and stop the banks from deserting regional Australia,’ she said.

‘Banks can’t be trusted to do the right thing by regional communities because when considering whether to close branches, they only consider their massive profits and the bonuses of senior executives.

‘They don’t care about bank staff and the communities which will be impacted by their decisions to shut branch doors.’

Coober Pedy, Kapunda and Tailem Bend in South Australia as well as Carnamah in Western Australia (pictured) have now lost their towns final branch

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The Finance Sector Union (FSU) National Secretary Julia Angrisano said the federal government needed to intervene or regional communities will lose access to banking facilities

Ms Angrisano said Westpac’s decision was ‘the most appalling decimation of a branch network by a bank’. 

Westpac staff affected by the closures told the union it was ’emotionally exhausting’ and their future was ‘up in the air’.

‘This is emotionally exhausting as every conversation with a customer is a reminder that we will be losing our jobs. The impact on the mental health of everyone working at the branch is huge and taking its toll,’ one person wrote.

‘Every customer wants to talk about the branch closing and they are concerned about what this means for them and for the staff,’ said another.

‘We are remote, what our employment options look like is up in the air, we are all facing a very insecure future,’ a third said.

‘The bank expects us all to remain motivated and meet sales targets and participate in sales campaigns as if everything was normal,’ wrote a fourth.

Ms Angrisano said the latest decision further showed Westpac did not care about its staff.

‘Clearly, servicing the banking needs of customers is being ignored, as Westpac chases cost savings by cutting their bricks and mortar, and staffing costs, Ms Angrisano said.

‘Westpac staff have known for a long time the bank doesn’t care about people because they have borne the brunt of pressure from executives to work unpaid overtime to complete unreasonable daily workloads.’

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Westpac is looking to combine its brands under one roof, creating co-located stores with St George, Bank of Melbourne and BankSA and other services

Westpac is looking to combine its brands under one roof, creating co-located stores with St George, Bank of Melbourne and BankSA and other services.

St George Bank will close branches in Townsville and Cairns in Queensland, North Sydney in NSW and Weston in the ACT.

Bank of Melbourne is closing its Greensborough, Horsham, Prahran, Shepparton and Sunshine locations.

While Bank SA is shutting its Greenacres, Kapunda, Port Adelaide and Tailem Bend branches.

A Westpac spokesperson previously told Daily Mail Australia the bank would assist workers affected by branch closures to find new roles within the company.

‘We have a robust process in place to assist employees to find new opportunities within Westpac Group, meaning the majority of employees affected secure a new role and continue their career in the Group,’ the spokesperson said.