David Littleproud
October 21, 2016
Federal Member for Maranoa David Littleproud has slammed Suncorp Bank’s decision to close its Kingaroy branch, along with a number of other branches, on January 20.
He has called on the bank to release its customer usage rates to justify the closures, and also suggested businesses boycott Suncorp-related products such as insurance.
The former banker – and Suncorp’s former Regional Agribusiness Manager for South West Queensland – wasn’t pulling any punches with his old employer on Friday.
“The bank needs to come clean about this data to prove why it’s shutting branches, because I believe these communities are entitled to know the trigger point that kicked off this blanket closure,” he said.
“I have made urgent representations to the CEO, requesting this data be released to give the affected communities an understanding of why the bank has closed these local branches and prove to them this decision was not just a case of profit over people.”
Mr Littleproud said the only consolation in the closures is that he had been assured by Suncorp that impacted branch staff will be able to continue to work online for the bank in their home towns.
“The humble beginnings of Suncorp in my electorate seem to be in stark contrast to the bank’s decision to close four rural branches,” he said.
“This out-of-touch mentality has been enabled by successive state governments failing to maintain the requirements for the bank’s Board to reside in Queensland following the privatisation of the bank.
“Whether you or your business banks with Suncorp, or you’re insured with one of the 10 companies owned by Suncorp, I ask customers to vote with their feet and no longer support a bank that doesn’t support rural communities.”
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Mr Littleproud said he had also made urgent representation to Heritage Bank CEO after reports the Toowoomba based bank has been closing mini-branches in the South Burnett and elsewhere.
He has also sought customer usage rates for each of the mini branches set to close.
A spokesperson for the MP said there was no community engagement or notification that these facilities were in danger of being closed.
“He believes the community is entitled to know why these mini-branches are closing or, at the very least, be given an opportunity to increase their support of any essential services that may be underutilised,” the spokesperson said.
