News

In a world of change, Lyn Maber has been banking with The Mutual Bank for almost 60 years - and 44 of those years at the East Maitland Branch.She helped The Mutual Bank CEO Mark Williams cut the ribbon on Tuesday 3 June 2025 to officially open our newly renovated branch on George Street East Maitland.Mark said the bank’s vision was to create a modern and functional environment that customers would love, and teams would enjoy working in.“Our passion for service shines through every aspect of our business,” Mark said.“We are committed to providing exceptional personal service in our branches, and this newlyrenovated branch is a testament to that commitment. This contemporary, state-of-the-art facility brings a fresh, modern feel for our Members, and for our Branch Team.”Ms Maber said she loves her new-look branch and was happy to continue her long stint of banking locally.“I’ve been with The Mutual Bank since I was about 18, and I am nearly 77!” she proudly exclaimed.“It’s the service, the friendliness that keeps me coming back.“I have been a member since I was in my late teens and back then it was a branch in Church Street Maitland.“When the East Maitland Branch opened [in 1981] I started to come here, and I’ve always stuck with them as they've always looked after me.“Only recently I needed some help with my cards because of scammers, and the service I received was extra special. “One of the exciting new features of the renovated branch is a special area dedicated to community organisations.“We believe in supporting our community, and this space is available for local charities, sporting organisations and fundraising groups to use during branch hours,” said Mark.“They can bring in posters, set up a laptop, and engage with people who visit the branch about their upcoming events or initiatives. This is our way of giving back and fostering a strong sense of community.”Mark praised the architects, ARCH, and builders Collaborative Construction Solutions for making the vision of a new branch a reality with a seamless project.“Their expertise and dedication have been instrumental in bringing this project to life," he said.“Most importantly, we thank our Members for their patience and continued support during the construction period and we hope they enjoy the new look and features of their branch.”

We will be reducing our variable loan interest rates for Members with existing variable rate Home Loans and Business Loans following the Reserve Bank’s decision on Tuesday 20 May 2025 to decrease the official cash rate by 25 basis points.  “The Mutual Bank’s interest rates are regularly reviewed to ensure we remain both competitive and sustainable,” said CEO Mark Williams.  “With the RBA’s decision to reduce the official cash rate, we want to ensure our Members with a variable rate home or business loan can access rate relief as soon as possible, so we have quickly resolved to pass on the rate cut in full to our existing borrowing Members,” he said.  Members will be informed about their new repayments in coming weeks. The effective date of the new rate is 3 June 2025. Our deposit rates remain under review.  “We hope that the reduction in variable home loan interest rates will continue to ease the pressure for home and business owners after what has been a challenging rate increase cycle,” said Mark.  Financial hardship support: Members affected by cost-of-living pressures are encouraged to discuss their loan with our friendly team. Please contact us if you need support to meet your loan obligations.  Based on your circumstances, our team can assess your eligibility for a range of support options that may be available to you, such as loan deferrals, interest-only periods, or other appropriate relief.  We are here to help you – talk to us.  New here, and looking for a better deal on your home loan?   Our Budget Home Loan has won a Mozo Experts Choice Home Loan Award in the Low-Cost Home Loan Category three years in a row.  Make the switch and apply online today. 

The Mutual Bank team trust all our Members are keeping safe during the current extreme weather in the Hunter Region and parts of New South Wales.  Chief Member Officer Matthew Dunnill said The Mutual Bank Team is here to help any Member who has been impacted by rain and flooding.  “Members experiencing financial hardship, or any other banking issue, can call our team on 1300 688 825, email us at info@themutual.com.au or visit your local branch,” he said.  "We have a Financial Hardship Request Form on our website which you can fill out and email back to us, and our team will be in touch to see how we may be able to assist you. “Members who have CGU insurance can call 13 24 80 or make a claim online at cgu.com.au/claims.”    The SES have recommended Live Traffic to keep you updated on road conditions and in particular road closures. It can be accessed here. The NSW SES, ABC Newcastle radio and the Port Stephens, Maitland and Cessnock Councils have regular updates on their websites and Facebook feeds.  The safety of our staff is paramount and some branches may be closed during lunch breaks.  Anyone who has experienced damage from the rain or has floodwater threatening their property, please call the State Emergency Service on 132 500. Call 000 in an emergency.

We are thrilled to announce that our East Maitland Branch has reopened after a major renovation! At The Mutual Bank, our passion for service shines through every aspect of our business. We are committed to providing exceptional personal service in our branches, and our newly renovated East Maitland Branch is a testament to that commitment. This contemporary, state-of-the-art facility brings a fresh, modern feel for you, our Members, and for our Branch Team. The East Maitland Branch, at 110 George Street East Maitland,  is the first to be redeveloped in our Branch of the Future program. This initiative aims to create a modern and functional environment that our Members enjoy visiting and our teams enjoy working in. The new design features improved navigation and functionality, ensuring a seamless banking experience. As a customer-owned bank, our profits go back into supporting our community and providing better products and services for our Members. Our goal is to give you the best banking experience possible. We believe in offering our Members a choice. While some Members prefer to deal with us in person, an increasing number of Members choose to self-service online. To support this, we successfully implemented a Digital Loan Origination Platform in 2024. We thank our Members for their patience and continued support during the construction period. Come and visit Promise and her team and experience the new look of our East Maitland Branch!

The Mutual Bank holds a cherished place in the hearts of the Hunter community, and our new brand campaign beautifully captures this sentiment.  With its catchy tune, our “Make it yours” campaign is set to become a beloved anthem as it graces tv screens and various advertising platforms.  This campaign is more than just an advertisement, it’s a celebration of our community and the unique bond we share with our Members, helping them achieve their goals and to thrive.  At the very heart of it, the “Make It Yours” campaign is about the customer-owned banking model and the pride we have in being a mutual organisation. What is a mutual bank? Well, when you join The Mutual Bank, you're not just a customer – you become a Member. This means you have a stake in the organisation and a voice in how it operates. You are part of something bigger, a community that values your input and cares about your well-being.  Our profits are not just numbers on a balance sheet; they are reinvested back into improving products and services for you and supporting grassroots community organisations. From local footy clubs to cultural events, our profits go back into supporting our community. When you bank with The Mutual Bank, you are supporting your local community, helping businesses grow, and creating local employment opportunities.  We are proud to be part of the community we serve.  The “Make it yours” campaign also highlights the beauty of the Hunter Region and features some of our valued Members. You'll see stunning locations like the river at Morpeth, Maitland Levee, Maitland netball courts at Maitland Park, Dungog Wholefood Co-Operative, and cross-code superstar Sheridan Gallagher with Maitland Football Club juniors. We also showcase local businesses SRH Milk Haulage in Rutherford and Elbourne Wines in Pokolbin.  Our wonderful Team Members are also featured in the campaign.  The campaign is set to an original song called "Yours to Love," which perfectly captures the essence of our message. The “Make it yours” campaign is all about our connection with the community and how we help both our Members and the community to thrive. With themes like "Your Life, Your Freedom, Your Memories, Your Team, Your Passion," The Mutual Bank can truly “make it yours”.  We collaborated with Jamie Lewis, a seasoned Hunter-based Creative Director with more than 22 years of experience, to bring this campaign to life. Jamie has a proven track record of helping clients achieve their goals and drive growth across various industries, including finance, housing, retail, heavy industry, and education.  Join us in celebrating our community and the people who make it special. 

The Mutual Bank has joined the fight for a better deal to meet the increasing costs of helping its regional customers who need access to cash, and trained assistance in dealing with scams and fraud. Our CEO Mark Williams said The Mutual Bank’s seven branches play a key role in supporting the communities it serves but, like many small regional banks, are challenged with avoiding becoming “pass-through” branches for the major banks. The Mutual Bank has joined an alliance of 19 regional banks calling for the introduction of a shared cost model to support the vital services provided by bank branches in regional communities such as cash handling, assistance for seniors or people with a disability and support with scams and fraud. Under a shared cost model, big banks whose regional branch investment falls short of the industry average would be required to assist. As such, the model will ensure that all banks meet or exceed those baseline expectations, either directly through their own regional branch network, or via the shared costs model. “The Mutual Bank’s purpose is to champion financial wellbeing for our Members and regional communities, to help people thrive, and our branch network plays a vital role in achieving that purpose” said Mark. “Big banks that profit most from Australia’s financial system should be required to share the cost of supporting essential regional banking infrastructure in regional, rural and remote Australia as a fundamental part of their community service obligation.  Regional bank branches are vital to these communities because they provide key services such as cash handling, advice to customers as well as help in handling scams and fraud”. “The Mutual Bank is the only bank in Dungog and Mayfield and has fulfilled a much-needed gap for those communities in being able to access essential banking services.” Mark said while the bank had seen an increase in customers and branch transactions in those locations, the challenge remained to ensure it was not simply acting as a conduit to funnel funds back to the major banks who have withdrawn their support in those communities. “Our bank branches offer secure services and personal, professional advice that cannot be replaced by post offices or ATMs,” he said. The alliance is also calling for regional banks to be a part of discussions about the future of Armaguard and cash-in-transit services which are more expensive for regional banks.