The Government has requested the Primary Production Committee open an inquiry into rural bank lending practices.
"In February, the committee opened a briefing into rural bank lending, and we heard numerous concerns ... from countless farmers and others about the disparity between rural and urban bank lending practices," committee chairman and ACT MP Mark Cameron said.
"We must ensure [banks are] operating in the best interests of all New Zealanders.
"I look forward to ... preparing a report on rural banking to feed into an overall inquiry report on banking competition."
