Bank customers face shut doors and long queues amid massive lender job cuts

NAB is reportedly looking to shed 2500 jobs. Picture: John Gass OPINION Those sneaky banks are at it again. Laying off hundreds of staff members, soon after reporting the usual run of profits. Right out of the big four playbook. Man, those shareholders will be pleased! Westpac ($7.1 billion expected 2026 profit) recently became the latest major lender to pull the trigger, with a pre-Christmas staff clearance to the tune of 250 jobs, in a bid to “actively manage costs and investment.” That followed the NAB ($9.1 billion expected profit) announcement that it would shed 2500 staff by mid-2027, to “simplify its operating model”. Meanwhile, both ANZ ($7.5 billion expected profit) and CBA ($10.9 billion reported profit) have been in the news for significant cuts over the past two years. Of course, customers don’t think too much about human resources in the banking sector, until we actually need them for something. MORE:$5bn in homes gone as foreign buyers flood market Perhaps you call them to ask why a mysterious fee has been subtracted from your account, only to spend hours on hold. Or maybe you pay a rare visit to the local branch for something you’ve been told can only be done in pers...