We have recorded our first oral history interview for 2024 with Coastline Credit Union Director and former QBANK CEO Grant Devine. Grant told us about his early years in finance and his introduction to mutuals in 2001 through a role with Queensland Teachers Credit Union (now part of RACQ Bank).
The full transcript of the recorded interview will ...
The Origins of Resolution
“Members sometimes don’t feel comfortable taking their complaints to the credit union” – Gail Cork, CUDRC
The Credit Union Dispute Resolution Centre Pty Ltd (CUDRC) was established in November 1996 to assist participating credit unions and their members resolve complaints in a fair, timely and cost-effective manner. The CUDRC was funded by partici...
Vale Col Chant
Australian Mutuals History was sorry to learn of the recent passing of Col Chant, aged 90. Col was a Police Officer (Senior Sergeant) and foundation Director of Queensland Police Co-operative Credit Union (today known as QBANK).
Col served as QBANK Director from the formation meeting on 2 June 1964 until 2014. Boards of Directors were the engine...
First Pacific
As we’ve detailed in numerous ways in our blog, the 1980s and 90s were transformative for mutuals and indeed for society at large. It was during this time that mergers and name changes were at their peak. An interesting case study of this period is First Pacific Credit Union which was based in the Northern Rivers region of NSW.
First Pacific was r...
Latrobe Valley: the Power of Cooperation
The Latrobe Valley in Gippsland has been described as the Ruhr of Australia. Open cut mines covering hundreds of acres scar the valley. Extensive urban areas, Morwell, Traralgon, Moe-Newborough-Yallourn North, and Churchill fringe the industrial developments. Power stations, with their ever-present exhaust plumes dominate the landscape – ‘Victorian...
Capital Chat with Kevin Dupe
Our first shared oral history interview of 2024 is with Kevin Dupe. Kevin’s career in mutuals began in the 1980s with the Australian Federation of Credit Unions Ltd (AFCUL) where he worked as the National Government Affairs Manager. Some of what Kevin relates about his time there is quite extraordinary.
Kevin was CEO of Regional Australia Bank for...
Australian Credit Unions Marketing Awards 1985
At the Australian Credit Union Convention in 1985 (held in Auckland NZ), time was taken out from speeches, seminars, lunches and dinners to conduct the Australian Credit Union Marketing Awards.
In some ways the customer owned banking scene in Australia 30 years ago was closer in spirit to 1955 than today. While many of the products and add-ons of ...
Going Beyond with Robert Keogh
Recently retired Beyond Bank CEO Robert Keogh gave us some time out of his busy schedule in the final weeks of his career.
Robert joined Beyond Bank in 1979 when it was known as CPS Credit Union (for Commonwealth Public Service) and became CEO in 2010. He has of course been part of many changes in mutuals over the years and his fascinating inter...