Agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank has announced a range of support measures will be offered to assist farming clients impacted by bushfires in the Esperance region.
Rabobank acting state manager for Western Australia Steve Kelly said the bank’s staff had been making contact with clients in bushfire-affected areas to check on their safety and wellbeing, offer assistance and gauge the extent of any damage to their enterprise.
Mr Kelly said the bank would work directly with clients in affected areas to help support them through current difficulties.
“These devastating fires have had terrible consequences for the local rural community, with the loss of four lives,” he said. “This is unbelievably tragic for their families and friends, and will also be having a profound impact on those in the local community," he said.
Mr Kelly said the fires had caused considerable damage to local agriculture.
"While it is still too early to gauge the full extent of damage to agricultural land and infrastructure and stock loss in the region, the large area impacted by the fires includes a substantial amount of farmland," he said.
“And with harvest in the Esperance region only about 40 per cent complete, there is also likely to be significant loss of grain.”
Mr Kelly said clients in applicable circumstances impacted by the bushfires would be eligible for a range of support measures, including:
- deferral of scheduled loan repayments
- waiving of break costs on early redemption of Farm Management Deposits
- waiving of fees on loan increases necessary to assist in rebuilding operations and
- waiving of fees for equipment finance contract variations.
Mr Kelly said, as one of the primary agricultural banks in the local region, Rabobank was particularly aware of the situation and would "work closely with clients on a case-by-case basis to ensure we have the best solution for each of our affected clients".
Rabobank has asked any impacted clients who have concerns and had not yet spoken to the bank to contact their local branch or phone Rabobank on 1800 025 484.
Rabobank Australia & New Zealand is a part of the international Rabobank Group, the world’s leading specialist in food and agribusiness banking. Rabobank has more than 115 years’ experience providing customised banking and finance solutions to businesses involved in all aspects of food and agribusiness. Rabobank is structured as a cooperative and operates in 40 countries, servicing the needs of approximately 8.8 million clients worldwide through a network of more than 1000 offices and branches. Rabobank Australia & New Zealand is one of Australasia’s leading rural lenders and a significant provider of business and corporate banking and financial services to the region’s food and agribusiness sector. The bank has 94 branches throughout Australia and New Zealand.
Media contacts:
Denise Shaw
Head of Media Relations
Rabobank Australia & New Zealand
Phone: 02 8115 2744 or 0439 603 525
Email: denise.shaw@rabobank.com
Skye Ward
Media Relations Manager
Rabobank Australia & New Zealand
Phone: 02 4855 1111 or 0418 216 103
Email: skye.ward@rabobank.com
