00:00 Yesterday, the regional banking inquiry heard from the big four banks about why they're
00:05 leaving regional communities.
00:07 But today we're in Junee in the New South Wales Riverina, and the focus has instead
00:11 been on hearing from residents and community organizations about what impact it has when
00:16 those banks do pick up and leave.
00:18 Junee six years ago had all four of the major banks in town, and now it only has one, and
00:23 even that branch is looking at potentially leaving.
00:26 We've heard from residents who are really worried about what's going to happen when
00:30 their last bank does leave.
00:32 And we spoke to Jackie Stephens, who's the manager of the Junee Community Centre, and
00:36 she says she works every single day with elderly residents who are really worried.
00:39 They are quite concerned about using online banking because they see the scamming messages
00:45 that come through on their phones.
00:47 People with arthritis, people with Parkinson's, people with physical disabilities as well
00:54 struggle to use a small phone, particularly if you have large hands.
00:59 These residents often don't know how to use online banking.
01:03 They're worried about technology and they know that because they're older, they're the
01:06 number one victims of scams.
01:08 And so they're worried that that's going to happen to them if they do online banking.
01:11 So if that's off the table for you in a town like Junee, if there's no bank in person and
01:15 you don't want to do online banking, your only option is to drive 45 minutes down the
01:19 road to Wagga Wagga.
01:20 So that's an hour and a half trip, potentially $90 in petrol.
01:24 And many, if you have a disability or you don't have a license, then you've got to ask
01:28 your family or a friend to help you.
01:30 And that creates all sorts of stressful situations.
01:33 Senator Matt Canavan spoke to us about potential solutions, and he actually told the Inquiry
01:37 today that they had reasons to be optimistic.
01:39 He said a few workable solutions have already sort of come up in conversation, which the
01:44 Inquiry would be looking at.
01:46 For one of these, he said, was strengthening the banking code of practice.
01:50 And also he mentioned potentially creating a system where post offices allow even more
01:55 banking services than they currently do, which could be a solution out here in regional areas.
01:59 [BLANK_AUDIO]
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