Community members across Murray River and Gannawarra local government areas continue to express their dismay at the Bendigo Bank’s decision to close the Barham, Cohuna and Pyramid Hill agencies. The bank claims the closures, along with 13 others, are due to the number and value of over-the-counter transactions falling as more customers choose to do their banking online.
Residents have planned a protest rally for Thursday, April 13 at 12.15pm in Cohuna and were quick to express their feelings online.
“Another service gone! How unfair especially for our aged community members. An hour out of the day just to go to a bank now and even that is difficult as the Kerang branch close for lunch. Almost have to take a day off now if you need to talk to someone at the bank.”
“How are small business supposed to get change/money for their tills when the bigger banks are all closed at lunchtime in all three surrounding small towns, and now even the Bendigo Bank is abandoning us? It seems the banks are pushing us to be a cashless society. But this is unrealistic. Very disappointing.”
“This is such a shame. Small communities are extremely disadvantaged by not having full banking services available to them.”
“Bendigo Bank was meant to support the smaller communities! It’s all about money once again! No such thing as service at any banks now. Greed is an ugly thing.”
This week, a meeting was held between Bendigo Bank executives, Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh and a representative of the Gannawarra Shire Council. Those in the meeting report that the bank claimed the Cohuna agency performed only 112 transactions per month, or less than 6 per day – a claim disputed by the agency, with over 700 transactions per month at times, not including the many other functions performed by the agency that are not recorded as a transaction.
This article appeared in The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper, 13 April 2023.
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