By Parker McKenzie
Westpac’s branches in Ferntree Gully and Boronia will be shut by the end of the year, as the bank continues a spree of closures across the country.
The Ferntree Gully branch will cease trading on Friday 21 October and Boronia on Friday 4 November.
A Westpac Group spokesperson said with declining customer use of branches “in some instances, we may take a difficult decision to leave a branch location.”
“Westpac Boronia customers have access to Westpac Knox City 5.9 kilometres away as their supporting branch,” the spokesperson said.
“Many customers can continue to access the same cash services locally via Australia Post at Boronia Post Shop, just 120 metres away from our current branch.”
Seven staff are employed in Ferntree Gully and will be affected by the closure, while the Boronia branch employs six people.
The Finance Sector Union National Secretary Julia Angrisano said local Westpac retail and business customers will be forced to travel even further to access banking services.
“This is no longer cutting the fat from Westpac, this latest carving up of Westpac’s branches is slicing right into the core of the bank with staff morale at rock bottom as they wait for the axe to fall on what’s left of the branch network,” she said.
“And when it comes to pay at Westpac, the bank is mean and stingy, refusing to offer staff reasonable pay rises as inflation eats away at their real wages and cost of living spirals out of control.”
Westpac has closed 225 branches since January 2021, including its Lilydale and Croydon branches.
A Ferntree Gully resident said she was concerned about the effect the closures would have on non-computer literate people in the area and community organisations.
“How many people can regularly go to Knox or Eastland?” she said.
“I can see a lot of people going to the local Bendigo Bank instead. They have to offer services for people who can’t keep up.”
The Westpac spokesperson said there are Westpac ATMs located at Knox City and Mountain High Shopping Centre.
“Westpac Ferntree Gully customers also have access to Westpac Knox City 4.3km away.” The spokesperson said.
“Australia Post at Mountain Gate Post Shop is also located right beside our current branch and we have ATMs located at Knox City.”
