Mayor pleads for bank’s return: Nearest Kiwibank branch almost 200km away

Mayor Rehette Stoltz is asking Kiwibank to return to Gisborne because the nearest branch is almost 200km away. 

Gisborne’s Kiwibank customers have been left with only online services since January when a satellite hub closed, with the closest branch about a 2.5-hour drive away in Whakatāne. 

On Monday, Stoltz sent an email to Kiwibank head of service partnerships self-service Andrew Holford outlining her concerns. 

“We have seen Kiwibank disappear from our region and is now whittled away to online services only,” Stoltz said in the email. 

“For context — three other major banks have a physical presence in our lovely region. 

“There is now no physical location where our older residents can bank or cash can be deposited and withdrawn in store,” she said. 

ANZ, Westpac, BNZ and the Co-operative Bank have branches in Gisborne’s main street, Gladstone Rd. 

The letter copied in Trust Tairāwhiti’s general manager of economic development Richard Searle, as Holford had suggested the i-Site could be a good location for a potential Kiwibank site. 

However, Kiwibank general manager retail Logan Munro told Local Democracy Reporting it explored that option, but was unable to host the bank. 

Mayor Stoltz said the city lost its stand-alone Kiwibank branch in March 2021. 

“We are a growing community with approximately 50,000 residents and to not have any presence from our only NZ-owned bank is of concern.” 

Gisborne was assured Kiwibank would maintain a presence there with a satellite hub in the Kaiti Mall pharmacy, she said. 

“Unfortunately, Gisborne lost that satellite hub in January of this year.” 

She acknowledged the effort Holford had put into finding other premises for Kiwibank. 

Mayor Stoltz said many residents were also concerned they would be charged $2.80 to use ATMs from other banks. 

In Kiwibank’s response to the mayor, Holford said switching the bank’s ATMs to All Point+ ATMS may have confused residents. 

“The Kiwibank ATMs in Gisborne are now All Point+ branded following the sale of the network to NCR Atleos,” Holford said. 

“They offer the same services as they did previously, including deposits, and there is no cost to the cardholder.” 

He told Mayor Stoltz the confusion could be due to the All Point+ ATM at Ballance Street Bookshop changing to a Next Payments ATM, which does have a $2.80 transaction fee. 

“In addition to the All Point+ ATMs, Kiwibank cardholders can use the ATMs of all major banks to withdraw cash at no cost,” he said. 

Late last year, Holford told Stoltz in an email that it tried to source other locations, including talking with the Ballance Street Bookshop, but discussions did not progress. 

“Many other local businesses that may be a suitable partner simply did not have enough space to deal with the customer flows that would be required to offer Kiwibank services,” he said. 

- LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air