The trend for credit unions to partner with Councils to provide essential financial services in the bush under the CreditCare program has gained momentum with the decision by two Councils to enter into agreements with the Electricity Credit Union.
Pine Rivers Shire Council, one of Queensland’s largest Local Government authorities, is entering into an agreement with Electricity Credit Union to open a Member Service Centre which will provide a full range of banking services to the residents and business community in the Dayboro district.
The Nanango Shire Council has also unanimously accepted a CreditCare proposal that they operate an Electricity Credit Union Member Service Centre from their Blackbutt offices. Dayboro, a farming and rural residential community north of Brisbane, has been without such services since its last bank, the ANZ, closed its branch in July 1997.
Blackbutt is located 150 kms north west of Brisbane and lost its last bank, a branch of the NAB, in February this year. Both agreements between the Council and the credit union were facilitated by CreditCare, the cooperative project between the Commonwealth Department of Primary Industries and Energy and Credit Union Services Corporation, to assist people in rural and remote areas to secure basic financial services.
CreditCare field officer, Tom Watson, who worked with the Councils to find solutions for the towns, says these are great examples of a coordinated approach to providing financial services.
“Just over two years ago, when our project started, we formed the view that Local Government could play a vital role in helping ‘no bank’ communities,” he said. “Recently, the Australian Local Government Association told the Federal parliamentary inquiry into regional banking that Council Offices could be utilised by credit unions to house banking facilities.
“It is a natural partnership because both parties are in the service business, Councils delivering vital community services and credit unions, financial services.”
Councils have provided support in 23 of the 40 towns CreditCare has assisted so far. In towns such as Walla Walla and Moulamein in NSW, Eidsvold, Kilkivan, Surat and Georgetown in Qld and Paraburdoo in WA, credit unions are either located in Council Offices or in Council owned premises.
For further information contact Mark Genovese, telephone (07) 3214 1714 or 0418 987 919.
