HAS your local ATM or bank disappeared, shut down or simply left town without saying goodbye?

On the Coffs Coast, with our rural reach, many of us rely on our local ‘hole-in-the-wall’ for getting our cash out conveniently.

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In rural areas, when the local bank closes down it often means a trip to the city for our more detailed banking business.

CHOICE, the consumer group is calling for Australians to share their stories about their regional banking experiences.

Patrick Veyret, CHOICE Banking Campaigner told News Of The Area, “Many of us rely on bank branches and ATMs to access essential banking services.

“As the shift to online banking accelerates, we need to ensure nobody is left behind.

“The government wants to hear from communities impacted by the banks’ decisions to close branches and remove ATMs.

“We’re urging Australians to share your thoughts with CHOICE to have your voice heard.

“Many Australians live in a regional area and it’s essential that people can access banking services in the bush,” said Patrick.

The government has established a taskforce to assess the impact of bank branch closures on regional communities.

CHOICE is writing a submission that will call for fair access to banking services for everyone.

“As part of this, we want to include real stories from people affected by or worried about access to banking services.

“Since June 2017, there have been over 500 bank branch closures in regional Australia.

“It may mean that you have to drive hours to access a bank branch or that the only ATM in town is a private one with a fee to withdraw cash.

“We want to show the Federal Government why communities care about fair access to banks and ATMs in the regions.

“As the shift to online banking accelerates, we need to ensure nobody is left behind.

“The government is going to hear from the big four banks, so we need to ensure they hear from communities and consumers impacted by their decisions to close branches and remove ATMs,” said Patrick.

CHOICE is asking for people to share their story about regional banking at www.choice.com.au/regionalbanking.

By Andrea FERRARI