CommBank Golden Grove

Mrs PEARCE (King) (15:46): I believe, Mr Speaker, you may share some of the sentiment that I am about to raise on behalf of my local community. Last week we learned that our local CommBank at The Grove, also fondly known as The Village by the OGs, is going to be closing its doors on 12 July. This is an absolutely huge blow. The Grove is our local community hub. It is where you come to do your local grocery shop, it is where you come to access a range of medical services, it is where you seek services from your local post office and, of course, it is where we do our banking.

CommBank has essentially been a part of this precinct and a part of our community since the opening of this centre back in 2002. As I understand, it was one of the very first lessees there. That is over 20 years of establishing relationships in my local community, and in the blink of an eye it is going to go. My community is not going to take that lying down. CommBank cannot simply ride off into the sunset without knowing just how heavy a blow this decision is to those who have been loyal to them over all of these years.

For many in my community this decision will be a huge impost and we are standing up for them. We are standing up for people like Tanya's mum who, as someone who has never driven and who has reduced mobility, relies on the council community bus to be able to get access to her bank, get her bankbook updated, and then do her weekly shop. We are standing up for people like Wendy, who shared how vital in-person services were for her when she became widowed. She had so much to organise, including the mortgage, and was only able to manage with the skilled intervention of the in-person staff that helped her at this branch. In her words, 'Phone calls to Sydney is not enough.'

We are standing up for people like Lyndall who are time-poor and cannot fathom a 40-minute round trip—and that is before taking into consideration the time needed to spend at their next-closest branch, two of which I understand are incredibly busy, often with lineups out of the door. We are standing up for people like Sharon, who worries for the older generation and those who are unable to navigate digital banking technology. I understand that her 58-year-old brother has ASD and her mother is 80. She advises that neither will cope well without branch services, as the banks push a step further towards a cashless society for the sake of their bottom line. In her words: 'It's a classic case of profits before people when they close branches.'

There are people like Dylan, whose parents opened an account at this branch when he was just a child. He is committed and has continued to stay loyal now that he is well into his 20s. Then there is Krystle, who appreciates that the branch is highly accessible considering its close proximity to the local interchange. This cannot be emphasised enough: local communities are stronger for having accessible local services. For so many, in-person services are essential and being based in locations like this is key.

I have also heard from members of the community who are not customers, like Leesha. They rely on the ATMs that are at this branch because they are one of the very few that do not have a charge associated with using them. This is important: these are two of the four ATMs that are available at the centre. The other two are run by the only other bank that is based in my electorate. That is around 15,000 households who likely rely on these branches, and those ATMs charge a fee. If both CommBank and the ATMs are to go, locals feel that we are losing a significant service to the community.

Local businesses have also reached out; they cannot believe what is happening. They have shared that this is going to be a real nuisance in doing their business banking and getting change, and that they cannot afford the time to travel just to do their banking. These are just a few of the thoughts that have been shared by my community since launching a petition last Friday. I cannot believe that almost 600 people have signed already, and I am so proud to be standing with you all to fight for essential and accessible services in our local community. I am so pleased to see that that number continues to grow.

I also wish to thank my neighbour the member for Wright and our local communities for standing with me on this matter. We are a community that fights for what is right and we will not let this bank close without a fight. While I will be making formal representations soon, I stand here today to urge CommBank to reconsider their decision and take into consideration the impact this will have on a local community that has been loyal to them for decades.

The SPEAKER: I do share your concerns, member for King. The banks are terrible corporate citizens that put billion-dollar profits before their customers who they built those businesses on. We should all walk from the banks and put our money where they do not take us for granted.