Banks plan shared branches to return to remote towns
Banks seek approval to trial up to 10 shared branch hubs in regional Australia.
In-branch banking in regional Australia has collapsed 63 per cent since 2019 as customers shift online. Nearly 850 branches have shut between 2017 and 2025, leaving about 600 towns without any bank.
The Banking Association wants to trial up to 10 shared banking hubs in rural and regional areas, with branches run jointly by multiple banks and costs split among them. The plan needs Australian Competition and Consumer Commission approval.
Hub models already operate in the United Kingdom and New Zealand. Commonwealth Bank and Westpac have frozen closures until the end of the decade.
National Australia Bank and ANZ committed to hold until mid-2027.
- 63 percent in in-branch interactions
- Collapse since 2019
- Nearly 850
- Branches closed 2017-2025
- About 600
- Towns without a bank
Why it mattersRegional Australians who lost all local banking access could regain face-to-face services without waiting for individual banks to reopen branches.
AustraliaCould restore banking services to 600 Australian towns in regional and rural areas that have no branch since 2017, benefiting thousands of customers.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 3 h ago
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