12/09/2025

The Nationals have intensified their campaign to keep regional banking services open, with Shadow Assistant Treasurer and Shadow Minister for Financial Services Pat Conaghan confirming he has met with major banks serving regional areas in recent weeks and “thrown down the gauntlet” on regional banking.

“Enough is enough on bank closures,” Mr Conaghan said. “I’ve told the bank chiefs directly: come to the table with a credible plan to maintain face-to-face services and access to cash in the regions.”

The idea of a regional banking levy has gained traction since CBA CEO Matt Comyn publicly floated it earlier this year.

Mr Conaghan acknowledged that from opposition the National Party’s formal power is limited, but the pressure won’t stop. “We can apply pressure, build coalitions and keep this on the national agenda, but in the end either the Government steps up or the banks themselves do,” he said.

“Banks have no problem extracting profits from the regions. It’s time they reinvest – in people, in branches, in ATMs and cash services.”

On 15 August, the Nationals wrote to the Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer calling for an urgent response to the Senate Inquiry on regional banking. “It’s now been 475 days since the report landed. Unfortunately, like our letter to the Treasurer there’s still no response from this Government. We won’t let this slide,” Mr Conaghan said.

He also called for the moratorium on branch closures to be extended beyond just the majors: “If a community is about to lose its last branch or in-person banking point, the shutters should not come down,” he said. “Extend the moratorium. It’s the least the Government could do while they sit on their hands about this issue.”

He stressed that any universal banking obligation must cover more than country towns. “This isn’t just about the bush. Outer-suburban communities are also losing branches, which means some of the most vulnerable Australians and small businesses are being left without fair access to services.”

“Regional and outer-suburban Australians deserve better than silence from the Government and neglect from the banks,” Mr Conaghan said.

“This isn’t just a fight for services, it’s a fight for fairness. We won’t step back, and we won’t stay quiet. The Nationals are drawing the line: Australians everywhere deserve basic banking services. Regional Australia won’t be ignored.”

ENDS