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26 June 2008

Westpac opens new business banking centre in Wollongong

Westpac has reinforced its commitment to Wollongong and the Illawarra region with the investment of more than one million dollars in a new Business Banking Centre which was officially opened this evening.

Opening the new centre, Westpac CEO Gail Kelly, said it demonstrated the Bank's commitment to providing more localised support for the continued growth and development of Wollongong and the Illawarra region, and the local businesses which support it.

"Westpac is focussed on putting our customers at the centre of everything we do. This new Business Banking Centre will enable us to provide more specialised services and support to facilitate the continued growth and prosperity of our customers," Mrs Kelly said.

"We now have 28 specialist business bankers servicing customers from Wollongong right down the South Coast and across to Nowra and the Southern Highlands. We have opened our new Centre to help support the growth of our customers' businesses by providing a more personalised banking relationship.

"Westpac's business bankers will be able to provide our customers with more tailored advice on cash-flow, transactional banking, equipment finance and invoice financing ensuring they can continue to be supported with the very best banking advice."

Mrs Kelly said that Westpac's proposed merger with St.George would further enhance its local banking presence in Wollongong and throughout the Illawarra region.

"Following the successful completion of the merger later this year, Westpac intends to retain the St.George brand and branches and invest even further in front-line staff and services for customers," she said.

In the past 12 months, Westpac has substantially expanded the number of front line staff in business banking by almost 500 and opened 19 new business banking centres across the country.

John Dryden, the Head of Westpac's Wollongong Business Banking Centre, said the new Centre was constructed in anticipation of continued strong regional growth.

"The recent expansion of Port Kembla to facilitate car imports into Australia and the development of retirement and tourist accommodation are significant signs of business confidence in Wollongong," he said.

Mr Dryden also said that while Westpac had a long and close association with the region's business community, the approach to business banking had changed in recent times.

"Today, business customers want to have a conversation with a banker who has a thorough understanding of their business and the issues that affect them from day to day," he said.

"To provide the right banking advice to match customers' needs, we have recruited specialists with experience in cash flow management, transactional banking, equipment finance and invoice financing. The Bank also has specialists in the region who can advise customers about international trade, wealth and financial planning and financial markets."

Mr Dryden concluded by saying that bringing banking specialists and support teams together under the one roof in Wollongong means that local businesses would experience faster turnarounds on applications and convenient access to specialist advice.

The new Business Banking Centre is located at 25 Atchison Street, Wollongong.