Opinion: Why are some services disappearing in rural communities?

Some towns in Tararua District don't have a local bank. Photos / NZME

OPINION

I have to admit I’m a bit of a nerd when it comes to technology. I’ve been working with computers since I was in my teens, so I’m comfortable with them. I wouldn’t say I’m an expert, but I know enough to be able to work my way around most basic things.

But I really feel for those who aren’t as comfortable, and it’s become a bit of a bugbear of mine.

I live in an urban area, but it’s part of a rural community and a good proportion of the community is older than me. So it bothers me when services, especially banking, start to disappear from rural communities. For instance, in Dannevirke, there are two banks that are only open two days a week, for limited hours. I don’t know about any others.

Other towns don’t even have a bank.

If people need to do face-to-face banking, they have to wait until the days the banks are open, or they have to go to the nearest bigger centre, which in my case is Palmerston North.

Banks are encouraging customers to use internet banking. Or phone banking. But what if you can’t? What if you don’t have a computer or don’t know how to use one and don’t have someone you can ask to show you? Or what if, like many farmers in our community, you can’t get a good signal on your phone to be able to get through to your bank?

Or what if you preferred to use cash, because it just wouldn’t make sense to hire an eftpos machine for a one-off event, such as a garage sale or a charity sale?

I once talked with a politician who was in town for a meeting and put this question to him. The attitude was, well, this is how it is, get used to it.

I get that it’s not financially viable for banks and other services to offer those services fulltime, but for many people, especially in the current economic climate, it’s not a simple matter of them going to Palmerston North to take care of business. Some don’t have a vehicle, or can’t drive, and public transport isn’t always convenient.

It shouldn’t come to that.

Here’s a suggestion: why don’t these services pool together and have a mobile unit where customers can come in and do what they need to do, without having to travel so far? After all, if some health services can do it, why can’t banks?

Leanne Warr became editor of the Bush Telegraph in June 2023 and has been a journalist on and off since 1996 when she joined the Levin Chronicle, before moving on to other publications. She re-joined NZME in June 2021.