Waroona town meeting called in response to NAB branch closure

The Shire of Waroona has called a town meeting in response to the upcoming closure of their local National Australia Bank branch.

The bank recently announced it will close the doors of their Waroona branch and ATM on November 17.

"Closing a branch is always a difficult decision and we understand the change can be a big adjustment for some customers," a NAB statement read.

"Over the past few years, fewer customers are coming into branches to do their banking and foot traffic has lessened.

"Approximately 48% of our customers in Waroona have only visited the branch once in the last year."

The news was met with backlash from the Shire and local residents.

“The NAB is the only bank here and its closure will disproportionately affect our Shire’s aging population. These residents rely on the presence of a physical branch and personal interactions with bank tellers to manage their financial affairs securely,” Shire President Mike Walmsley said.

A town meeting will be held on Thursday, September 7 at 6pm at the Waroona Memorial Hall to allow residents and businesses to discuss their views on the decision. 

A petition has also been created calling on NAB to reverse their decision.