Pahiatua's Westpac Bank is to close on April 1.
By Steve Carle
Westpac Bank in Pahiatua is to close on April 1, but it's no joke.
This follows the closure of ANZ Bank on December 8, 2017 then the BNZ Bank in Pahiatua.
This leaves the town with Kiwibank as the last bank remaining.
South Wairarapa mayor Alex Beijen has delivered a petition to Parliament on behalf of 33 mayors (including Tararua District mayor Tracey Collis) urging banks to reinstate rural branches across New Zealand.
Beijen presented the petition to high-ranking government officials on Tuesday, March 2.
"The banks have abandoned rural New Zealand, then pretend they are helping them by popping in an ATM and telling the national press about what a good idea this is. The closures were a case of maximising profit at the expense of our communities," he said.
"Following a consultation period, we have confirmed to staff that we'll be proceeding with the closure of our Pahiatua branch," said a Westpac NZ spokesperson.
"The last day it will be open for transactional services is likely to be Thursday, April 1. We continue to work with and support the three affected employees.
"Over-the-counter transactions in branches have fallen by 33 per cent in Pahiatua in the past year and have fallen 65 per cent nationally in the past four years.
"There are now 100 log-ins to online banking for each transaction in a branch and Covid-19 has only accelerated these trends.
"Our Pahiatua customers will continue to be able to use other bank ATMs in the town for free. A full range of banking services is available five days a week at our Terrace End and Masterton branches, and three days a week at our Dannevirke branch. Our full service lobby at Terrace End offers transactional services 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
"Most households in New Zealand have access to either a landline, mobile phone or computer which gives them 24-hour access to banking. We encourage customers to talk to us about their banking options."
■ News that Kiwibank is closing seven branches, five with direct impact on rural communities, is disappointing, says Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ).
"Reductions in services in rural communities is causing a deeper inequity of the provision of those services, compared with urban communities, adding pressures that are just not needed in this current social and economic climate," says national president Gill Naylor.
"RWNZ hopes that Kiwibank might use the agency model with other businesses to ensure that banking services continue to be offered in rural centres.
"While we appreciate the need to streamline businesses and one solution is the agency model, there needs to be continued support for people to transact their daily lives in dignity.
"An agency model needs to provide spaces for private, complex discussions - it is not acceptable for people to be discussing their personal banking requirements with staff, while standing in a line of others who just want to pay a bill.
"RWNZ believes that rural communities need services close to where they live - this is particularly important for those where distance and lack of internet connectivity are more sharply felt.
"We would like to see rural proofing carried out before decisions are made to remove or reduce services, this will ensure that rural communities do not continue to miss out," says Mrs Naylor.