Harvey’s Bendigo Bank branch closure ‘a death knock’ for town

Harvey residents are bracing themselves for the imminent closure of their Bendigo Bank — the latest branch closure in the South West as banks continue to shut their doors. Local business owners, sporting groups and pensioners have voiced concerns about the closure, one resident labelling the impacts on customers as “absolutely ridiculous”, another saying it was how “small country towns basically die”. In July, a Bendigo spokesperson announced the bank would close its Harvey branch on August 17 following an “operational review”. Once the branch closes, Bendigo and Adelaide Bank customers face about a 100km round trip either north or south to the bank’s nearest branches in Bunbury and Pinjarra. Kev’s Country Meats owner Kevin Gordon said the biggest impact of the closures would be felt by small businesses and elderly residents. “It’s just another death knock for the old people of the town,” he said, adding how centralisation of services like banks meant “small country towns basically die”. “It’s hard enough running a small business without having to go to Bunbury for daily takings,” he said. “They all put their ads on the TV saying we’re for the people, but basically, they’re just there for the profits. “It’s only a matter of time before Westpac start cutting costs, making more profits, and forgetting about the people.” Retired farmer Laurie Williams moved to Harvey six years ago, when the town had four bank branches. After farming, Mr Williams ran a small business for years, but despite this knack for numbers he said online banking was not feasible for him. At 85 years old, he believed it was “absolutely ridiculous” for banks to expect customers with mobility problems to trek to Bunbury or Pinjarra for their everyday banking. “For the people that supported them over many, many years, for them to just suddenly say they’re closing up — they don’t care about their customers, they just care about their profits,” he said. Even local sporting clubs are feeling the sting. Harvey Hawks Football Club member Clem Hutchins had been fundraising to support his team, but the branch closures were making it “near-on impossible” for clubs to do their banking in small towns. Mr Hutchins is worried what impact the closure will have on smaller clubs and groups who can’t make the trek to Bunbury or Pinjarra. “Westpac are the only big bank of the four pillars that will stay and support our town,” he said. “I hope (they will stay). If they follow suit of the other banks, probably not. We’ll have to drive all the way into Bunbury.” Harvey’s Bendigo closure is part of a steady trend, with regional Australia losing more than 600 banks since 2017. Waroona lost its Bendigo Bank in 2014 when two would-be thieves blew up the branch’s ATM, partially destroying the branch, which was never re-opened. In the past five years banks have closed their doors in Waroona, Harvey, Australind, Bunbury, Dunsborough and Augusta, and further afield in Kondinin, Wyalkatchem, Three Springs and Wagin. The NAB left Harvey in 2018 and about a year later cut its Waroona branch trading hours. ANZ closed its doors in Australind in 2019 and the Commonwealth Bank closed its Harvey branch in May 2021. ANZ closed its Dunsborough branch in 2016 and Bankwest its Augusta and Bunbury Centrepoint branches in June and August last year. Bankwest, part of the Commonwealth Bank group, has opened two branches in the past five years, offsetting their closure of 14 branches in WA. The Bendigo and Adelaide Bank spokesperson said customers could access Bank@Post at the Harvey Australia Post Shop, online or via the Bendigo Bank app. “Whilst the bank appreciates the service the agency has provided to the Harvey community for the past few years, careful consideration was given prior to this decision being made as customer preferences for the way they do their banking continue to change,” the spokesperson said. “As banking preferences and options continue to change, we will meet these challenges by continuing to evolve the way we engage our customers. “We have already invested in new ways for customers to bank with us as evidenced in our mobile relationship manager hires and this will continue to evolve in-line with customer demand. “The decision to close the agency was not made lightly and we would like to thank the customers of Harvey agency for their continuing support. “We look forward to continuing to meet their banking and finance needs in the future from our Bunbury location. “Any lending enquiries can also be directed to Bunbury or the bank can arrange a mobile relationship manager to visit their home or business.”