Community
28 February, 2023
State bank commits to regions
A QUEENSLAND-based bank is pledging to keep its branches open across the country despite other banks closing their presence in regional areas.
A Bank of Queensland spokeswoman said BOQ was growing its number of branches in metro and regional areas across the country, during a time when in-person service was needed more than ever.
“Supporting the bank to keep its doors open is its Owner Managed (OM) model,” she said. The spokeswoman said 116 of BOQ’s 153 branches nationwide were OM.
“This means they are operated by locals as small businesses focused on establishing long standing, deep relationships with customers to help them achieve their personal and financial aspirations,” she said.
“The bank’s OM to corporate branch mix has grown to over 80 per cent during the current financial year.”
Westpac closed its Port Douglas branch last week and the Cairns CBD site closed in October last year. The Grafton Street St George bank, a subsidiary of Westpac, is to close on March 31.
BOQ Edge Hill Cairns manager Janette Burberry, who has owned the branch since 2008, said it was here to stay.
“Even during these increasingly digitised times, we know so many Australians are still choosing to visit their local branch. This is especially the case for regional areas like Cairns, which is why we understand the real need to keep branches open,” she said.
“Time and time again we are hearing from our customers how much peace of mind they get from knowing their local bank branch is located just around the corner to assist them with whatever they need.”
