Welcome to our first newsletter of 2025, in this the United Nation’s International Year of Cooperatives (ICY2025), celebrated with the theme 'Cooperatives Build a Better World'. A sentiment we at Bank First certainly agree with.

Australia has a long and proud history of financial cooperatives, with many, like us way back in 1972, created to serve communities of hard-working people that the big banks said no to. This is still at the heart of why we exist today, to serve the country's teachers and nurses.

As it has been thirteen years since the previous International Year of Cooperatives (2012), we will share stories about the important impact we are making as a mutual bank for educators and health care workers. 

Who knows reports get written on the weekend?
Who knows your nine to five is overnight?
Who knows corrections get done from the couch?
Who knows the emotional impact of saving lives?

Understanding the circumstances unique to the lives of our hard-working teachers and nurses is what we do. So, it is with much excitement that we introduce our new brand campaign to demonstrate to our Members that we 'get them'.

Who knows teachers and nurses? Bank First, that's who.

From the boardroom

We were saddened to hear about the passing of the inaugural Board Chair, and one of our founding Members, Peter Leonard-Kanevsky.

Bank First CEO Michelle Bagnall described Peter as 'a true gentleman and an audacious disruptor who wanted better for the people around him'.

February means it’s time for our university students to gear up for an exciting new year. But for those studying education and health, the return of compulsory weeks long on-the-job placements can mean the return of a unique financial pressure known as placement poverty.