Clicks before bricks

There was a time when the neighbourhood bank was a focal point of the community. But bank branches are fast disappearing, and it’s leaving plenty of Australians in the lurch when it comes to managing their money.

Since 2017 almost 700 branches have closed. In regional areas, bank closures can have a devastating impact. A parliamentary report found that when consumers are forced to travel for their banking, they often take their shopping dollars with them, leaving local businesses struggling and heralding the onset of population decline as residents move on in search of better-serviced locations.

To date, NAB has been one of the few banks to buck the trend, having pledged in 2019 to keep its 316 regional branches open until at