Westpac has scrapped plans to shut a number of branches across regional Australia, months after it put the closures on hold pending the outcome of a senate inquiry into banking services.
"After further discussions with customers and employees, we've decided to keep the Westpac Robinvale branch open," a spokesperson said.
"We look forward to continuing to serve the region."
The bank later confirmed seven other branches earmarked for closure would also remain open, including at Sale in Victoria, Denmark in Western Australia, Gatton, Cloncurry, Ingham and Tully in Queensland, and BankSA in Kingston, South Australia.
Westpac's decision in February to terminate in-person banking in the eight regional communities, most with already limited services, angered customers and was heavily criticised by unions and politicians.
The backlash forced the bank to postpone the closures while a senate inquiry into the welfare and economic impacts on affected towns took place.
The probe has already conducted hearings in Sale and will take evidence in Cloncurry and Ingham next week.
Westpac confirmed on Tuesday it would be keeping all eight regional branches open indefinitely.
The inquiry's findings are not expected until December.
A win for small communities
Federal Member for Mallee Anne Webster, whose electorate takes in Robinvale in Victoria's north-west, said it was good news for those who relied on over-the-counter services, including the elderly and seasonal workers.
"I have got to give credit to the community who fought so hard for this, and rightly so," she said.
"It takes a community to rise up and say when things are not OK and this closure is one of them, so I am very pleased.
"We have to remember that a lot of our smaller town [residents] are not comfortable going online generally, and we also have a lot of migrants who struggle with English websites, and then we have small business who have funds they want to take to the bank."
Dr Webster said she hoped other banks planning to terminate rural services would follow Westpac's example.
Finance Sector Union National Secretary Julia Angrisano said Westpac had been "shamed" into backing down, but the bank needed to go further.
"Back in February, days after the senate inquiry was announced, Westpac said 20 branches would close," she said.
"By giving eight bank branches a reprieve, it has ignored communities and bank workers at the other branches.
"While everyone agrees this decision is the right thing to do, Westpac needs to be fair dinkum and cancel the closure of all 20 branches."
Westpac posted a $4-billion profit in its half-yearly results, which were announced on Monday, representing a 22 per cent increase compared to this time last year.
