4 June 2002 Media Statement

Halswell Kiwibank franchise opens

Jim Anderton, Deputy Prime Minister and Wigram MP today opened another Kiwibank branch in Halswell, Christchurch.

The Halswell Kiwibank is the 143rd branch to open since March, but it is one of the first to be opened as a franchise.

Franchise owners Barry and Viv Straight are pleased with the response their branch has already generated, "We have put on nine staff to handle new account appointments and will be open seven days a week. It will be hard work, but we know it will be worth it."

Kiwibank is currently opening 500 new accounts per day on a national level, and it is expected to have over 300 branches by the end of the year.

The success of Kiwibank comes as no surprise to Jim Anderton. "Kiwibank
offers its customers a choice of a New Zealand owned national network of bank branches.

"Kiwibank has already gained a strong response in smaller towns as well as the suburbs of our larger cities. People see new Kiwibank branches opening in places where other banks shut down and moved away,” said Jim Anderton.

"Many New Zealanders see small businesses as an integral part of their community. Seeing a bank come back into their neighbourhood gives their local economy a boost.

"People are seeing a New Zealand-owned bank showing responsibility at a community level, and they are definitely responding. As the numbers show, there is a great deal of support and interest in getting as many branches open as is possible.

Kiwibank has plans for 100 more bank openings by August of this year, with a total of around 300 planned by the end of 2002. This will put Kiwibank well ahead of all other bank networks in New Zealand – an amazing result in the first 12 months of Kiwibank’s existence.

The opening of the Halswell branch also marked the foundation memberships of two of the bank's youngest customers. Campbell Trotter, aged 2, and Logan Baines, only 18 months old. Both have accounts at the Halswell Kiwibank.

Jim Anderton was impressed. "If they are not foundation customers, I don't know who would be,” he said.

ENDS

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