Tennant Creek Westpac branch shuts as more NT branch closures across Territory

One of the only face-to-face banking services between Alice Springs and Darwin has closed out of the blue, while another branch closure is imminent. Here’s where customers will be impacted.

Residents are fuming over the sudden closure of Tennant Creek’s Westpac branch, with “difficulties in finding staff” cited as one of the top triggers for its shutdown.

It comes as the Berrimah branch faces the same fate, with its closure earmarked for September 30.

42 communities, towns and suburbs without a bank branch across the Territory.

Member for Barkly Steve Edgington said no formal notice was given to the Tennant Creek community ahead of the branch’s closure on Friday.

“Westpac has closed its doors and walked out on the people of Tennant Creek,” Mr Edgington said.

“There was no engagement with Westpac customers, both residents and local businesses.

“It is clear to me that Westpac has failed to properly communicate, consult or engage with small business, organisations and the people of Tennant Creek.

“They’ve left the ATM, but there’s no certainty or reassurance as to whether that will continue to operate.”

Member for Barkly Steve Edgington is slamming Westpac's decision to close the Tennant Creek branch without community consultation. Picture: Supplied

The Australian Banking Association requires a bank to give 12 weeks’ written notice of a branch closure if there are alternative face-to-face banking services available while 24 weeks’ notice is required where there is no alternative services available.

A Westpac Group spokesman said the abrupt closure was a “difficult decision.”“We always seek to meet the requirements of the Banking Code of Practice,” the spokesman said.

“On this occasion, ongoing difficulties in retaining staff have made it impossible to keep the Tennant Creek branch open for the usual notice period.

“(The branch also closed) due to … our customers choosing different ways to bank with us and a decline in customer usage of the branch.

“We’re now working with our partners and our customers to help customers continue to bank locally via … the nearby Australia Post.

“Many (Berrimah) customers can (also) continue to access the same cash services – including withdrawing cash, depositing cash and cheques, and checking account balances – locally via (the) Berrimah Post Office.”

“Our Indigenous Connections Team will also be implementing a program of on-the-ground educational support for the Tennant Creek community.”

Westpac has closed its Tennant Creek branch. Picture: Supplied

Mr Edgington and residents said the Tennant Creek post office was struggling to meet the town’s demand and it was operating on reduced hours due to staff shortages.

“Do your banking at Australia Post? They are flat out opening their doors to do their own business due to staff issues and they are expected to take on Westpac customers?” Brett Brooks said in a Facebook comment.

“How is a business supposed to bank cash? Get change?” Graeme Brown said.

“The post office is struggling to keep up with what it already does, now they are supposed to pick up all the work the Westpac did.”

“The Tennant Creek ANZ branch has on some occasions been reduced to half-days as well due to staffing shortages,” Mr Edgington said.

“There is always a need for jobs in Tennant Creek, but as to how well those jobs are advertised is another matter.

The Westpac branch in Tennant Creek was one of the only face-to-face banking services between Alice Springs and the Top End. Picture: Getty Images

“If Westpac had of consulted with the community we could have come up with a solution to fill those jobs.

“We’re a town of 3000 people.

“Lots of our residents, particularly those in surrounding communities, don’t actually use the internet and so they rely on face-to-face banking.”

The NAB branch in Casuarina Square was also “temporarily” closed earlier this year.

A NAB spokesman said the branch is likely to reopen in early October after the training of several new team members.

Since 2019, almost one in three ATMs in the NT has been closed by Australia’s big banks.

This has left at least 42 suburbs and communities in the Territory without an ATM, while 52 are without a bank branch.