Our fervent request is that Westpac will re-visit their business case that led to the closure decision.

It was with deep concern that the South Invercargill Urban Rejuvenation Charitable Trust (South Alive) learned of the proposed closure of your branch in South City Invercargill. Such an action will impact considerably on the South Invercargill community, identified as the 9812 postal area, and re-kindle fears of a return to the feelings of negativity caused by organisations seeing this community as not being worthy of having the same opportunities as the rest of the city’s population.

South Invercargill is a community of some 20,000 people. It is home to the greater proportion of Invercargill’s Maori and Pacific Island residents and three out of the four Invercargill marae (the fourth being in Bluff) are located in South Invercargill. According to the 2018 census, only 77% have access to the internet and 30% of the population is over 65 years. Our experience shows that many families and elderly residents suffer from social isolation. Covid-19 has changed our world and, in our opinion, those figures will have changed for the worse.

South Alive’s strong, widespread local support ensures the community voice is heard, thus having a very positive impact on the level of pride residents now have in South Invercargill.

Our community-led urban rejuvenation project has as its goal: identifying the best possible future for South Invercargill and ways to make it happen.

So please join in with this petition and let our voice be heard.