Westpac breached its obligations under the Banking Code of Practice “in a serious and systemic manner” when it closed its Tennant Creek, Northern Territory branch on 19 September 2022.
The Banking Code Compliance Committee found Westpac did not comply with the requirements in the ABA Branch Closure Protocol to provide customers with information about accessing its services and to offer customers assistance to access alternative banking products and services when closing a branch, as required in paragraph 14 of the CodWestpac did not provide adequate support for affected customers living in the remote community of Tennant Creek to access alternative banking services following the branch closure, as required in paragraph 36 of the Code.
In response to these serious and systemic breaches of the Code, the BCCC have sanctioned Westpac by naming them and publishing details of their non-compliance on its website.