Media Release: NZ First, 22 September, 2016
Westpac’s closure of Raglan and 18 other branches around New Zealand is another bitter blow for rural areas and seniors, says New Zealand First Leader and Northland Member of Parliament Rt Hon Winston Peters.
“People in places like Fairlie, Putaruru, Whangamata, Takaka, Stoke, Te Anau, Otorohanga, Carterton and Raglan, will be seriously inconvenienced and will be gutted by Westpac’s decision.
“Older clients would have been loyal to Westpac but that loyalty has not been reciprocated by this Australian owned bank which has made a massive half-year profit to March 2016 of $445 million
“A bank that cared for their clients would ensure a good level of service would be maintained for all – especially when their profits are going through the roof.
“Quality of life in rural areas is being seriously eroded under this National government.
“With the loss of the Ranfurly Westpac branch, Maniototo residents will face a 180km round trip to the nearest bank, in Alexandra but Westpac couldn’t care less.
“A major disappointment is that all their protest meetings and marches have been for nothing.
“Equally disturbing is that other Australian owned banks ANZ and BNZ could shut branches also,” Mr Peters says.
It’s no longer about people and providing good services to loyal customers. It’s about profit margins and because they don’t actually give a stuff about people, there’s no
longer the need to keep
up the facade, that our
money is tucked up safe
in their fake-arrse volts
with all the other
fake-arrse non exsistant money.