There continues to be change in Regional Queensland with major bank opening hours. Although branch closures have slowed, we have seen most major banks in many Regional Queensland communities reduce their opening hours which makes it more difficult to access banking services. Queensland Country Bank has not changed its opening hours in the past 12 months and many consumers in these regional communities have responded by opening accounts at Queensland Country. We have seen more than 11,000 new Members join Queensland Country over the past 12 months. We believe that people want the convenience of digital banking for simple transactions and face-to-face service for more complex financial transactions, like borrowing for a home. Therefore, we will continue to invest in our branch network, along with keeping our mobile and online banking apps relevant and easy to use.

Many of Queensland Country’s branches are based in rural areas, and we have seen significant demand for banking services that support the agricultural industry. We are therefore expanding our banking products to meet the needs of farmers and graziers. We are establishing banking products tailored for the agricultural sector as we continue to look for ways to support our communities. We will continue to provide updates on our products and services as they become available. If you would like more information regarding our agri-business products, please visit your local branch.

We pride ourselves on the customer service we provide, be it in person, over the phone, or online. We also recognise that attracting and retaining the best staff and providing them with a work environment that allows them to thrive is key to delivering great service to Members. To ensure we are meeting the needs of our staff we conduct a staff engagement survey each year to seek insights from staff about their work experience. The staff engagement survey has recently been completed where staff rated their overall satisfaction at 80%, which is the highest staff engagement score in the 20 years we have been completing the survey. When staff were asked “Is Queensland Country truly a great place to work”, 94% of staff agreed with this statement. It is clear from the survey results that staff love what they do and enjoy providing great service to our Members.

Our vision is to be Queensland’s best regional bank, and to support this vision we have recently announced our principal sponsorship of Queensland Cricket. This sponsorship will result in an increase in the visibility of our brand right across the state. I encourage you to look out for our logo on the playing shirts of Brisbane Heat players competing in the national Big Bash League this summer. We believe there is alignment in company values between Queensland Cricket and Queensland Country Bank and supporting one of the strongest sporting franchises in the country will provide an increase in brand awareness so that we can continue the Bank’s strong growth in Queensland.

As a member-owned bank, all of our customers are shareholders of the bank, and as such can have a say in how the organisation operates. We hold an annual general meeting (AGM) each year where the bank's operations are shared with Members. Our next AGM is being held in Townsville on 21 November 2024, with further details being provided on our website during October.

Aaron Newman
Chief Executive Officer

We're all over Queensland, and now we're all over cricket too. Our exciting new partnership with the Brisbane Heat has made it’s way into our latest brand ad. Watch below and keep up to date because it's about to get heated for Members. Check out the Brisbane Heat Hub for more exciting news and offers.

Queensland Country Bank is dedicated to creating a great workplace and fostering a culture of sustainability. We recently completed our third annual sustainability survey, providing an opportunity to understand what’s important to our people and to ensure we're making a positive impact in areas that matter. Here are some key highlights from the 2024 results:

Our teams overwhelmingly recognise the importance of sustainability to Queensland Country Bank and expect us to:

• Take actions that directly benefit our local communities.

• Reduce our carbon emissions.

• Minimise waste, particularly plastics.

Our staff are passionate about a variety of social and environmental causes, including:

• Protection of reefs and waterways.

• Promoting financial literacy.

• Animal protection and refuge.

• Addressing climate change.

• Enhancing recycling and waste reduction.

We are actively educating and engaging our staff on the impacts of plastics in our waterways, with many participating in ReefClean events throughout October. Last year, our teams contributed over 1200 hours of volunteer service, actively supporting their local areas.

To maintain momentum, we regularly update our community on the steps we are taking to reduce environmental impacts both as a business and as individuals. A simple change in behaviour can lead to lasting benefits. We are committed to expanding our positive impact in communities and aligning with what matters most to our staff and Members.

For more information, please visit our sustainability page on our website queenslandcountry.bank/sustainability

We are committed to our enduring partnership with RMHC North Australia. Their programs provide essential care, services and resources for families with seriously ill and injured children.

Sarah Jones, Community Engagement Manager at RMHC North Australia emphasised the importance of shared values in partnerships and providing local community support.

“Queensland Country Bank’s ‘people first’ approach is instilled in their staff and culture, extending well beyond their banking operations into our community via their extensive support for local charities and sporting clubs.”

“The Queensland Country Bank Board, management and staff are committed to their support for RMHC North Australia and play a tangible role to practically and proactively be a part of the life changing work their generosity delivers across the region.”

Learn more about our partnership with RMHC North Australia: Our Charity Partner | Queensland Country Bank

Our annual Good for Good community grants program continues to make a real difference in communities across Queensland. The latest round of grants applications was met with all time high demand.

We received a record number of applications and amount of grant funding requested, with the total requested funding eclipsing $2 million. Applications came from over 40 different towns and cities across Queensland, from as far north as Weipa and as far south as Coolangatta.

Grant submissions are under assessment, with the successful recipients to be announced this month. We look forward to following the progress of their projects and sharing their stories, as they strive to make a positive impact in Queensland communities.

The 2024 grant recipients will be announced and published on our website: Queensland Country Good For Good Community Grants | Queensland Country Bank

Don't miss out next round and check out the 2025 Good for Good Grants Register!

In 2023/2024, Queensland Country Bank's Workplace Giving Program has significantly supported Dementia Australia, along with other key charities. With more than 421,000 Australians living with dementia, this condition stands as the second leading cause of death in the country, affecting countless families and communities. Recognising the profound impact of dementia and the importance of research and support, the staff at Queensland Country Bank nominated Dementia Australia as one of their chosen charities for the year, resulting in a generous donation of $5,424.50.

This financial contribution plays a critical role in furthering Dementia Australia’s mission. The organisation is dedicated to advocating for positive change, supporting groundbreaking research, and equipping the public with essential resources to better understand and manage dementia. Caren Ferris, Community Fundraising Coordinator at Dementia Australia, and Holly Clark, reflected on Queensland Country Bank's vital assistance, expressing gratitude for enabling services and programs that enhance the quality of life for those living with dementia.

In addition to support for Dementia Australia, the Workplace Giving Program raised a total of $21,698, which was distributed equally among four charities, including Angel Paws, The Royal Flying Doctor Service, and Share The Dignity. Each charity received approximately $5,400, underscoring the collective impact of individual contributions when coupled with the bank’s matching scheme. Through these efforts, Queensland Country Bank not only extends critical support to these organisations but also reinforces a culture of giving and community involvement within its workforce.

Protect yourself from scams

Scammers are becoming more sophisticated. They can often impersonate a person or business for weeks, months or even years to defraud you out of your money, or to turn you into an unwitting money mule. Scams are also constantly changing, so it’s important to be vigilant.

10 ways Australians are scammed each year

Don’t let scammers trick you out of your hard-earned funds. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Get to know these scams in more detail, and know the signs to look out for on our website.

Read more about these scams on our Fraud and Scams Hub.

Queensland Country Bank’s Money Mentors offer personalised financial education to help you take control of your finances.  With a wealth of financial knowledge, Money Mentors provide you with on practical banking solutions tailored to your income, stage of life, aspirations and needs.

Whether you’re working towards your financial goals such as loan preparation, debt reduction, basic account structuring, budgeting, or financial education, our Money Mentors are here to support you. As your life circumstances change, your financial priorities may change. Money Mentors work to build long-term relationships, helping Members imagine more for their financial wellbeing.

Reasons Money Mentoring could be for you:

• Guidance for First Home Buyers
• Loan Preparation
• Grant Guidance
• Government Home Funding Program Information
• Reduce Your Debts
• Streamline Your Bill Management
• Create A Budget Plan
• Financial Checkup
• Effective Account Structuring Guidance

Achieve your financial goals, book a Money Mentor today. Book at your local branch or make an appointment online.

The guidance provided by Money Mentors is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute personal financial advice.

You probably log into your mobile banking app regularly, and use the basics like making payments and checking your SmartBudget account all the time. But once you start tapping around, there’s even more to discover - did you know about these features?

Lock your card

Misplaced your card? Temporarily lock it until you find it again (or confirm it’s really missing!).

Menu > Card Management > Select card > “Lock”

Setup alerts

Get on-the-go notifications by text message or email every time you receive a payment, a direct debit comes out, you hit a certain balance in your account or hit the maximum number of payWave payments on your card each day. Specify your alert type, how you want to receive it and you’ll get real-time updates to your phone.

Menu > Settings > Alerts

Let us know you’re travelling overseas

Register your travel plans with us to make sure we know it’s really you buying gelato or Gucci sunglasses.

Menu > Overseas travel > Register your travel plans

Share your account details

Need to send your bank details to your friend but don’t have a payID? Open the account, click on the “…” in the top right corner, then tap “Share” to send your BSB and account number via text message or other messaging program.

Setup a PayID

Better yet, create your PayID so that you can share your email address or phone number instead.

Menu > Pay > Manage PayID > Create New PayID

Manage your transaction limits

You can increase your transaction limits (up to a maximum amount) or decrease your limit per day for internal and external transfers and bill payments.

For larger requests, you’ll need to contact us.

Menu > Settings > Transaction Limits

Change your shortcuts

You can manage your bottom menu shortcuts on your dashboard to select the items you use most.

Drag and drop the icon into your bottom menu from Dashboard Shortcuts for quick access to things like Card Management, Pay, Accounts and more.

Set up a quick transfer

Pay between two of your accounts regularly? You can setup a quick transfer for set amounts between $50 and $200, to transfer money without even logging into your app.

Menu > Pay > Quick Transfer Management

If you have any suggestions for how we can continue to make our app even better, your feedback is welcome – email us your ideas to info@queenslandcountry.bank. We’re working on more improvements which will be released later in the year – stay tuned!

Queensland Country Bank is celebrating another slew of award wins, including our most exciting yet for 2024 – we’ve been named Customer Owned Bank of the Year in the 2024 WeMoney Banking Awards!

But that’s not all – we took home eight additional awards in the WeMoney Banking Awards, including Best Flexibility – Home Loans, Best Rewards Credit Card, and Lender of the Year (Customer Owned Bank) – Car Loans, and were finalists in four more categories.

WeMoney is a personal finance app that helps people track their finances in one place, monitor their credit score but also provides strong support from a large financial community for free. The WeMoney Awards recognise the highest performing products or brand in each awards category at a given time.

These awards come off the back of our existing product and service recognition from Canstar, Mozo, and RateCity.

Chief Executive Officer, Aaron Newman, said the continuous awards from multiple independent bodies in recent years are a testament to our member-first model.

“Such accolades and recognition demonstrate the success of the member-first approach, which enables us to reinvest our profits back into our communities rather than paying shareholders,” said Mr Newman.

“This means our core focus is about helping our Members achieve their financial goals, which is more important than ever in today’s economic climate.”

As the cost of living continues to soar and people become more cautious about their banking choices, Mr Newman said Queensland Country Bank is meeting Members’ growing and evolving needs.

“We’ve seen a rise in our Members using phone and internet banking, and with our call centre based in Queensland, we’re well-equipped to meet this growing demand,” said Mr Newman.

“However, we also recognize the importance of providing face-to-face services for those instances when Members want to come into their local branch for that in-person contact and advice.

“At a time when many banks are scaling back their services, we’re committed to investing in regional and rural communities and ensuring our Members have access to the financial solutions and support they require, whether that be online or in-person.”

Our full list of awards:

Full List of 2024 WeMoney Awards

• Winner - Customer Owned Bank of the Year
• Winner - Best for Flexibility - Home Loans
• Winner - Best Rewards Credit Card
• Winner - Outstanding Customer Service - Credit Cards - Back to back (2 years)
• Winner - Lender of the Year (Customer Owned Bank) - Car Loans
• Winner - Best for Quality - Car Loans - Back to back (2 years)
• Winner - Transaction Account of the Year (Customer Owned Bank)
• Winner - Excellent Rates & Fees - Transaction Accounts
• Winner - Outstanding Customer Service - Transaction Accounts - Back to back (2 years)
• Finalist - Best for First Home Buyers - Home Loans
• Finalist - Best Home Loan Package - Home Loans
• Finalist - Outstanding Customer Service - Home Loans
• Finalist - Best for Value - Credit Cards

Other awards for 2024

• Rate City – Best New Car Loan
• Rate City – Best Green Car Loan
• Mozo – 2024 Experts Choice Awards – Pensioner Account
• Mozo – 2024 Experts Choice Awards – Investor Home Loan
• Canstar 2024 Outstanding Value – Investment Home Lender
• Canstar 2024 Outstanding Value – Variable Investment Home Lender
• Canstar 2023 Outstanding Value – Green Car Loan
• Canstar 2023 Outstanding Value – Green Reno Loan