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Ōpōtiki mayor backs calls for banking inquiry into service cuts

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Thu, 8 Apr 2021, 3:50PM
Elderly people have issues using phone banking, Ōpōtiki mayor Lyn Riesterer says. (Photo / Getty)
Elderly people have issues using phone banking, Ōpōtiki mayor Lyn Riesterer says. (Photo / Getty)

Ōpōtiki mayor backs calls for banking inquiry into service cuts

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Thu, 8 Apr 2021, 3:50PM

National's calling for an inquiry to make sure that vulnerable people haven't been left behind when it comes to banking.

Shadow Treasurer Andrew Bayly says losing cheque facilities, and not to being able to visit branches, is causing distress to many Kiwis.

This comes after several mayors signed a letter to the government to intervene on rural bank closures.

The loss of bank branches and the phasing out of cheques is causing concern to some sectors of the community.

Opotiki is one of a number of towns that are seeing banks shut up shop. Mayor Lyn Riesterer told Kate Hawkesby that only about 50-60 percent of people in Opotiki have internet access.

"If people in certain rural areas want to do internet banking, that's not going to happen."

She says that phone banking is also a problem, particularly for elderly people dealing with that "non-service". 

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