Businesses in Southbank

Many local residents and workers would be pleasantly surprised to discover that Southbank does, in fact, possess its very own bank!

The InTech Credit Union is a mutual not-for-profit banking service, which has been operating in Southbank for more than 20 years at the ground floor of the IBM building on City Rd.

Consisting of a modest team of four experienced staff members, business development manager Michelle Mantas said the Southbank branch had always been committed to servicing the local community.

“In terms of the banking on this side of the river, I think there’s a lot of people moving in around Southbank and everybody has to walk over the river and the closest bank would be on Elizabeth St,” she said.

“We’ve got a very experienced and small team and that provides a lot of benefits that people don’t see until they experience the credit union. So it’s a one-stop shop. We do everything in-house and we do everything local.”

Possessing more than 10,000 members across the country, InTech Credit Union has been operating for more than 50 years in Australia and is the first-choice banking provider to the ICT sector.

The business provides its members with everything from home, investment and personal loans to term deposits and low rate credit cards and is part of Australia’s second largest ATM network.

Ms Mantas said the credit union offered a more personalised, secure and fairer banking alternative to that of the commercial banks.

“We’re a mutual. We’re not for profit so we don’t have shareholders to pay and I guess that’s very attractive for people these days,” she said.

“Any profits that we make we return it back to the members in the form of cheaper fees and charges.”  

“If you come to me for a home loan or a personal loan you can lodge it today and you’ll have it usually within three business days and it’s all done here out of this branch.”

While the branch is open from Monday to Friday from 8.30am until 4.30pm, Ms Mantas explained that the service wasn’t restricted by its standard operating hours.

“Even for people that work around here, if you’re at work and in your lunch break you want to see us we’ll come out to you if you don’t want to come here,” she said.

“Otherwise we do night appointments as well so we’re not limited to the branch hours. It doesn’t matter where you live. We’ve got cars and we will go out to people.”

Ms Mantas said she and her team loved everything about Southbank and that it was important to spread awareness about the great service that was available at the community’s doorstep.

“I think Southbank is a great suburb. It’s very hip and happening,” she said. “I think it’s a great location.”

“Our service has been very well received and supported from those who know about us. I suppose it’s just more about getting the word out so it’s awareness because people just don’t know that we’re here.”

For more information about the credit union visit www.intechcu.com.au