Council calls for better banking services in Bourke

Nerida Smith outside the National Australia Bank in Bourke on Tuesday. Inset: Closed Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Monday is a Public Holiday. Photos TWH

Bourke Shire Council will be calling for improved banking services for Bourke after the matter of poor service was raised in council this week.

The deterioration of banking services in Bourke was raised at Monday’s council meeting, with Councillor Robert Stutsel saying the hours of operation of banks in town were not meeting the needs and expectations of businesses or residents.

Councillor Stutsel told council that although the need for retail banking was diminishing there was still a need for a five days a week, office hours banking service to meet the needs of the Bourke community, for the foreseeable future.

“The present system where the NAB is only open on Monday and Tuesday, and the Commonwealth Bank is cutting its hours is most inconvenient to the business community as well as the community at large,” he said.

Councillor Stutsel raised several points in his motion to council, including the concern that some Bourke residents had a reluctance to use technology because of the unknown, and some did not have the confidence, or the formal education or were fearful of fraud.

“Businesses still need to deal in cash, need cash floats and need to bank excess cash on more than a weekly basis, and the need for businesses to unnecessarily carry large sums of cash creates the likelihood of break, enter and steals and robbery,” he said.

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