Regional Bank Closures

The Hon. R.A. SIMMS (15:14): Supplementary: given the minister's concerns, and the potential implications for regional development, why hasn't she raised these with Westpac?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (15:14): I thank the honourable member for his supplementary question. It comes down to those areas which I think is about, really, consumer pressure on those banks. We need to have more of an opportunity to influence. I mean, a private corporation will make its own decisions, which is unfortunate. I will certainly see which of my colleagues have taken other actions as well, because of course this portfolio, regional development, is very broad. But I will see what my colleagues in the other place have done.