Postkiwi

While visiting New Zealand last month I couldn’t help noticing the development of Kiwibank, a new bank guaranteed by NZ Post.

I took this photo while stopped at the lights in Gt King St in Dunedin - revisiting my days as a student.

Back in the 1980s I worked for the Post Office as a mail clerk in Katikati. I was there just before we were divided up into New Zealand Post, Postbank and Telecom. It became clear that the government was preparing the companies for sale. Postbank was sold to Australian-owned ANZ two years later.

Jim Anderton, part of the 1999-2002 Labour-Alliance coalition government, pointed out that New Zealanders had lost access to a NZ-owned bank. Kiwibank was started through the government-owned NZ Post, at first offering services only to individuals. It’s now growing in popularity and is catering for small businesses as well.