Re: Simon Schama - New Zealand/Australia Union
 

But isn't that what Kiwibank was set up up to achieve?

The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation is already present in the southern hemisphere (as their name suggests) and it has branches in New Zealand and Australia:

http://www.hsbc.co.nz/ and http://www.hsbc.com.au/

As for not being impressed with the NZ banks, well love them or loathe them it's their strong links with their Australian counterparts that has kept New Zealand's head above water during the GFC.

If Australia hadn't have put the bank deposit guarantees in place there's no way that New Zealand would have been able to do the same.

I can tell you not so long ago people in NZ were seriously bricking it about whether it was safe to leave their money in New Zealand banks, it was only those guarantees that kept the money in the country. And we saw no bank nationalisations here.

Re: Simon Schama - New Zealand/Australia Union
 

And what of the land clearances in the Scottish highlands and people displaced by the potato famine in Ireland?

Not to mention all the people who migrated from continental Europe, also suffering the effects of famine? - Dutch, Danish Germans, Slavs.......?

Re: Simon Schama - New Zealand/Australia Union
 

No convicts were ever shipped to NZ

Re: Simon Schama - New Zealand/Australia Union
 

Yes I agree, my in laws are here and my husband has had a property here for many years and all were (and still are) very worried about the state of the financial markets. My poor in laws had money in South Canterbury Finance too. I'm talking about banking from the perspective of your average consumer (as in usability). The problem with everything Australian is that there is still no competition that you see in the UK so you are still stuck with what is essentially a mediocre product at the end of the day. Online banking, paying for things online, it is pretty cumbersome.

But HSBC only has premier banking but not everyday banking for the likes of me who barely has 2 cents to rub together. They still aren't a major player here in NZ as far as I can see. I miss First Direct of all things :eek: and resent being charged every 5 seconds whenever I try and do anything. Banks all the same at the end of the day moan, moan!

PS feedback I've had from everyone I asked about Kiwibank was that it was pretty poor as I looked at opening up our accounts with them, but wasn't that impressed with the range they offered. Thinking of heading to National Bank instead - ASB truly are a rip off!

Re: Simon Schama - New Zealand/Australia Union
 

Hong Kong and Shanghai are both well into the Northern hemisphere....;)

Re: Simon Schama - New Zealand/Australia Union
 

Ubiquitous, isn't it :)

Londonescapee why not try Rabobank?

Have you got a mortgage yet? If you're not a high salary earner banks relax their fee structure if you're already up to your ears in debt with them.

As for lack of competition. Well you pays yer money and....then lump it or like it. What else can you expect in a country with only four million inhabitants?

It's not about choice, or competition, it's about learning to adapt to what you're given and working out how best to live with it: work the system.