Banking in the bush (1993-2003): a decade of change

Abstract

Financial-services delivery in Australia has undergone rapid change in the last two decades with the closure of full-service face-to-face branch outlets being a particular facet of change in the last decade. The brunt of these closures has been borne by residents of non-metropolitan and more remote areas. The research described in this paper has investigated how Australians living in regional and moderately remote areas have adjusted to changes in financial-services delivery. Respondents to a survey reported the decreased use of cheques, in common with national trends, and increasing use of electronic delivery methods. However, abandoning cheques in favour of other methods has not been taken up as rapidly as is practically possible. Respondents reported being most satisfied with saving and investing services and least satisfied with business-banking services.