House of Representatives Committees

Standing Committee on Economics, Finance and Public Administration

Committee activities (inquiries and reports)

Alternative means of providing banking and like services in regional Australia

The Committee tabled its report Regional banking services: Money too far away on 22 March 1999. Copies of the sections of the report in PDF follow and copies of the full report are available from the Committee Secretariat.

(To view or print the PDF document, you will require the Acrobat PDF Reader, which can be downloaded free of charge from Adobe.®)

Submissions

Transcripts

11/08/98 One Arm Point
10/08/98 Darwin (City)
10/08/98 Wyndham
28/07/98 Herberton
27/07/98 Newcastle
13/07/98 Northam
13/07/98 Perth
02/07/98 Canberra
25/06/98 Canberra
28/05/98 Canberra
30/04/98 Adelaide
29/04/98 Hamilton
29/04/98 Warracknabeal
23/04/98 Launceston
22/04/98 Melbourne
02/04/98 Canberra
12/03/98 Canberra
19/02/98 Sydney
18/02/98 Sydney

Media releases

Speeches

Government response: 28 June 2000 (PDF format)

Table of contents of report: Regional banking services: Money too far away

FRONT SECTION (PDF format 25KB) (This document contains the sections of the report from Foreword to List of recommendations)

FOREWORD

MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE: 39th Parliament; 38th Parliament

TERMS OF REFERENCE

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS

CHAPTER 1 – CONDUCT OF THE INQUIRY (PDF format 16KB): Background to the inquiry; The referral of the inquiry; Calling for submissions; Public hearings; The inquiry as a catalyst for change; Scope

CHAPTER 2 – BACKGROUND (PDF format 70KB): Changes in the delivery of financial services - a statistical portrait; Branches and agencies; Credit unions and building societies; Bank branch density and international comparisons; Electronic channels and outlets; Forces shaping delivery of financial services; Competition; Technological developments as a driver of change; Demographic Changes leading to changes in the provision of services; The impact of changes; Growth of electronic channels; Impact of closures; Impact on individuals; Impact on business; Impact on the community; Banking as an essential service. Whose responsibility?

CHAPTER 3 – INSTITUTIONAL ALTERNATIVES (PDF format 88KB): Credit Unions; Willingness of credit unions to establish branches in regional and remote communities; CreditCare; Local government and community support; Capacity of Credit Unions to fill the gap left by the banks; The Wallis Reforms; Other legislative impediments; Impact of GST 'input taxing'; Removal of restrictions on local government using credit unions; Limits to capacity; Aggregated service delivery; The Traditional Credit Union; Community Banks; Franchise banking; Agencies; giroPost; Business banking; Expansion of the giroPost network; Bank SA' s electronic agencies; Westpac's in-store branch concept; Other bank agencies; Expanded role for non-financial institutions; The Pharmacy Network; Elders; Rural Transaction Centres

CHAPTER 4 – TECHNOLOGICAL ALTERNATIVES (PDF format 61KB): ATMs; Electronic Funds Transfer at Point of Sale (EFTPOS); Telephone Banking; Internet and On-Line Banking; Infrastructure issues related to telephone and internet banking; Role of RTIF; Smart Cards; Trials; Education; Role of Telecentres

CHAPTER 5 – OUTSTANDING ISSUES (PDF format 30KB): The Transport of Cash; In the Event of Closures; Period of notice; Consultation processes; Practice of transferring accounts; Disincentives for closing accounts; Provision of alternative services; Education and training

CHAPTER 6 – CONCLUSION (PDF format 11KB)

APPENDIX 1 - INDEX OF SUBMISSIONS (PDF format 13KB)

APPENDIX 2 - LIST OF EXHIBITS (PDF format 12KB)

APPENDIX 3 - LIST OF HEARINGS AND WITNESSES (PDF format 16KB) ( A copy of the public hearing transcripts are available in PDF format or from the Committee Secretariat)

LIST OF TABLES: 2.1 Bank Branches and Agencies 1990 to 1998; 2.2 Major Bank Branches and Agencies in Australia; 2.3 Number of Building Society branches and agencies; 2.4 Number of Credit Union branches and agencies; 2.5 Delivery Channel Cost Comparison (indexed)(a)

LIST OF FIGURES: 2.1 Distribution of closure of a bank's only branch by town population; 2.2 Access to other bank's branches, Australia Post agencies and giroPost in towns with population <600>; 2.3 Access to other bank's branches, Australia Post agencies and giroPost in towns with population >600<1000>; 2.4 Access to other bank's branches, Australia Post agencies and giroPost in towns with population >1000<1500>; 2.5 Access to other bank's branches, Australia Post agencies and giroPost in towns with population >1500<2000>; 2.6 EFTPOS and ATM Terminals; 2.7 Electronic methods of payment of bills and funds transfer by Australian adults in the three months prior to May 1998