The launch of a new Business Banking Centre on 10th May 2007 in Goondiwindi hails the importance of the Queensland rural and regional market for HBOS Australia owned BankWest.
The new BankWest Business Banking Centre located at 153 Marshall St will service a large number of customers in the area and add to the bank's rural and regional presence in Queensland which includes Toowoomba, Geebung and Townsville.
BankWest has been operating in Goondiwindi since December last year but only recently moved into the new Business Banking Centre, officially opened on May 10th, 2007.
BankWest Head of Rural and Regional Banking, Jamie Ritchie attended the opening and said Goondiwindi was a growing region and selected because of its strategic importance in the region.
"There is growing demand in Goondiwindi for competitive financial agribusiness products," he said. "The opening of this Business Banking Centre is another milestone for BankWest rural and regional as we continue to expand on the east coast of Australia," he said.
"BankWest is a relative new comer to the Queensland rural and regional banking sector however many businesses on the east coast aren't aware that BankWest has over a hundred year history in Western Australia and was formed out of an agricultural bank.
"Like many parts of Australia, Goondiwindi is experiencing drought however the farming industry is strong and we expect the region will experience significant growth over the next few years."
The Mayor of Goondiwindi Tom Sullivan, who attended the official opening along with other key members of the business community, said the dedicated BankWest business centre in Goondiwindi was a positive sign for the area's economic development.
"Goondiwindi is a fantastic place to live and to see financial services entrants like BankWest coming into the region is a vote of confidence for the growth opportunities in the region," he said.
"I'm pleased to welcome BankWest to Goondiwindi and encourage competition in the financial services market."
BankWest's Mr Ritchie said rural and regional Queensland was a key part of BankWest's growth strategy and the bank had continuing growth plans in the region.
"We are providing a fresh approach to business banking and our aim remains clear - we want to provide the rural and regional sector with managers who understand their business and offer specialised service to the agriculture, business and commercial sectors," he said.
As a part of HBOS Australia, BankWest has a growth strategy to become a significant force in Australian financial services, through a strategy focussing on driving competition and change in the banking industry.
The bank is backed by its UK parent HBOS plc, an organisation that successfully developed and introduced industry specialisation service models in the UK. BankWest is utilising this experience to build similar models here in Australia, developing industry specific lending guidelines in a number of core markets, including agribusiness, health/medical care, hospitality, business and professional services and franchising.
The new Business Banking Centre will service the Goondiwindi, St George and Moree areas.
