Westpac to close Kaiapoi branch despite concerns about affect on older residents
The closure of the only Westpac branch in a small North Canterbury town is a “disappointing” outcome for residents, particularly the older community, Waimakariri mayor Dan Gordon says.
In a letter to Gordon, Westpac chief executive David McLean confirmed the Kaiapoi branch would close on June 23.
McLean cited a 45 per cent decline in counter transactions at the branch since national Covid-19 lockdown and a 65 per cent fall in such transactions nationwide in the last four years.
The Kaiapoi branch is the only outlet for the bank in the small township, and its closure and will mean residents wanting to visit a Westpac will need to travel 11 kilometres north to Rangiora to reach their nearest branch.
Gordon said he was grateful that the bank’s board of executives had met with him to discuss the issue, but the decision to close the bank was “disappointing” and went against the progress being made in North Canterbury.
🧩😏 Riddle me this, Neighbours…
I am an odd number. Take away a letter and I become even. What number am I?
Do you think you know the answer?
Want to stop seeing these in your newsfeed? No worries! Simply head here and click once on the Following button.
Scam Alert: Bank cold calls
ASB is warning customers about reports of cold calls from scammers claiming to be from ASB. These scammers are trying to obtain personal information, including usernames, dates of birth, and verification codes sent to your mobile phone.
🛡️ The "Caller Check" Test
If you get a call from someone claiming to be from ASB and you’re unsure, just ask them for a Caller Check. You will then be able to verify the call through the app.
Remember, banks will:
❌ Never ask for your banking passwords, PINs, or verification codes
❌ Never need to know your full credit card number – especially the CVC
❌ Never ask you to download software or remotely access your device
❌ Never ask you to purchase gift cards or transfer funds.
If you have received a phone call and think your account has been compromised, call ASB on 0800 ASB FRAUD (0800 272 372), or visit your local branch.
Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
Loading…
