Commonwealth Bank’s Condell Park branch to close

Bad news for Commonwealth Bank customers around Canterbury Bankstown with another branch gone by the end of August. The bank won’t say how many jobs will be lost.

Commonwealth Bank says it will close its branch at Condell Park because of declining transactions. Picture: Carmela Roche

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Canterbury Bankstown residents will have to rely more on internet and phone banking with the forthcoming closure of the Commonwealth Bank branch at Condell Park.

Last September, Commonwealth Bank closed its branch in Belmore despite objections from the Canterbury Bankstown Council.

Mayor Khal Asfour claimed Commonwealth Bank was abandoning its loyal customers while Commonwealth Bank’s Regional general manager Sydney Region, Irene Rowlands, said declining transactions was the main reason for the closure.

Residents use the ATM at the Commonwealth Bank branch at Condell Park, which will be closing down in August. Picture: Carmela Roche

It follows a trend among the big banks, with ANZ shutting down its Chester Hill branch in April. Last October, The Daily Telegraph reported that nearly 200 branches had been closed around Australia by the big four banks: Commonwealth, ANZ, Westpac and NAB.

Ms Rowlands said CBA has four nearby branches in Bankstown Central, Bankstown, Chester Hill and Revesby while customers can use the Australia Post outlet next door for personal and business banking transactions.

Councillor Asfour called on the CBA’s chief executive, Matt Comyn, to “show his bank really does care”.

“He needs to repay the loyalty of its customers and workers, by genuinely listening to them, rather than act in ways which indicate it cares more about profits than people,” Cr Asfour said.

The closing down notice at the Condell Park branch. Picture: Carmela Roche

Mayor Khal Asfour: What about our residents?

“It appears the bank sees this purely as an economic decision, what about our residents?

“From speaking with residents, I know many of our seniors and people with disability don’t use internet banking.

“Seniors and people with disability, in particular, are going to struggle to travel to Bankstown or Revesby, to do their face-to-face banking.”

Cr Asfour said according to the latest census, almost 10 per cent of Condell Park’s population consists of residents aged 70 or older.

Ms Rowlands said that closing a branch was never an easy decision but said their customers had been “increasingly choosing other banking channels such as our mobile, online and phone banking services”.

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A bank spokeswoman declined to say how many staff members would be affected by the closure but said they will “work with them to discuss options, including redeployment”.

Cr Asfour encouraged concerned residents to make their voices heard, by calling Commonwealth Bank on 13 22 21.