EXCLUSIVE<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The country's richest banker is spending almost $1million on renovations <br>
<br>
at his palatial mansion - while pressing ahead with <br>
<br>
plans to slug everyday Australians $3 to access <br>
<br>
their own cash. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Commonwealth Bank boss Matt Comyn came under fire for being completely out of touch after Daily Mail Australia revealed how his bank was imposing a 'grubby cash grab' on customers in the lead up to Christmas. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The bank this week buckled after widespread outrage and announced they will now delay the introduction of the controversial $3 withdrawal fee.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>But it has so far resisted calls to scrap the charge <br>
<br>
entirely.</b><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
It comes amid ongoing criticism about Australia's financial executives paying themselves huge salaries while the rest of the <br>
<br>
country struggles with the cost-of-living crisis. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Mr Comyn, whose bank is the main financial institution for more than a <br>
<br>
third of the country, remains the highest-paid executive across Australia's <br>
<br>
'big four' banks, earning about $9million last financial <br>
<br>
year, after taking in more than $10.4million the year <br>
<br>
before.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
But while his customers battle to make ends meet, Mr Comyn has been spending up big on the long-running overhaul of his multi-million dollar sandstone mansion in Sydney's <br>
<br>
affluent inner-east. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The bank boss initially estimated the extensive renovation works on his $9.5million pile - in a tree-lined <br>
<br>
enclave in Sydney's east - would set him back about $920,153, according to the development application he lodged with his local council. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
CommBank boss Matt Comyn's is pouring almost $1million into giving his <br>
<br>
historic home in Sydney's east a major facelift.<br>
<br>
The grounds surrounding the prized pile continue to undergo extensive <br>
<br>
landscaping <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Mr Comyn has come under fire for being out of touch with <br>
<br>
consumers, and raking in about $20million while the rest of the country struggles through a cost-of-living crisis<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
But with the overhaul continuing to drag on for almost two years, there is speculation that amount could well <br>
<br>
have blown out into more than seven figures. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Mr Comyn and his wife Lucy-Ellen have been toiling away on an upgrade <br>
<br>
across all three levels of the mansion since November 2022 and have been adding <br>
<br>
ensuites to the prestigious home's four existing bedrooms, a ground floor <br>
<br>
rumpus and extensive landscaping. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Workers were still busily mixing concrete at the ritzy address on Thursday morning as <br>
<br>
the mansion remained encircled with cladding. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The couple snapped up the mansion for $3.3million when Mr Comyn was still <br>
<br>
the bank's group executive for retail banking services before both its value and his paycheque skyrocketed. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The value of his home has already trebled and is expected to <br>
<br>
pass the $10million-mark once all his ongoing works are <br>
<br>
finally completed. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The Commonwealth Bank initially planned to move <br>
<br>
customers from their Complete Access Account to a Smart Access <br>
<br>
Account which included a $3 fee when withdrawing cash from a <br>
<br>
branch, post office or their phone from January 6. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
After intense blowback, the bank said the change would <br>
<br>
be delayed by six months for customers who are 'worse off with the <br>
<br>
new fee'. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<strong>Mr Comyn's mansion already boasted an impressive backyard before his lengthy renovations</strong><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>The renovation works have been dragging on for two years and are still <br>
<br>
underway </b><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<strong>Two years into the facelift, there is still a lot of work to be done on the <br>
<br>
mansion's overhaul</strong><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>Workmen haul in fresh sandstone blocks to compliment the <br>
<br>
historic sandstone already on-site</b><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Read More<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>Ally Langdon says what every Aussie is thinking about Commonwealth Bank's fee backflip</b><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The Albanese government slammed the move, with housing <br>
<br>
minister Clare O'Neil saying: 'It doesn't seem fair or appropriate and this is a huge bank making huge <br>
<br>
profits. Come on, guys.'<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'It's Christmas. We don't need this right now,<br>
<br>
' she said. 'This is not something the bank should be doing and we're asking them to reconsider.'<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Assistant treasurer and financial services minister Stephen Jones <br>
<br>
also hammered Mr Comyn's bank over the fee, branding it <br>
<br>
a 'slap in the face' for loyal customers and the 'worst Christmas present imaginable'.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'Commonwealth Bank has to rethink this terrible decision,' he <br>
<br>
said. 'This seems to be to a tax on Australians who demand the right to use <br>
<br>
their cash. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'And the government won't stand for it. We're working for Australians to ensure they can continue to use cash if they so choose.'<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
North Queensland federal MP Bob Katter described the new charge as <br>
<br>
'an act defiance and contempt for the people of Australia'.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
He said the bank was 'counter-attacking' against the recent announcement that businesses selling essential goods and services <br>
<br>
such as groceries, medicines and fuel will be forced to accept cash from <br>
<br>
their customers unless granted a special exemption the start of 2026.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Sydney radio station 2GB drive host Chris O'Keefe was even more scathing, labelling the cash grab as 'beyond obscene'.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>Housing minister Clare O'Neil has blasted the CommBank over its <br>
<br>
$3 withdrawal fee</b><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<strong>The renovation was expected to cost about $940,000 to complete but that was <br>
<br>
two years ago</strong><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<u><b>It is unclear when the lengthy overhaul will finally <br>
<br>
be completed</b></u><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'Charging a fee to access our own money is nothing more than a grubby little <br>
<br>
money grab,' he said. 'How much blood do they want from us?'<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
He could scarcely contain his disbelief at the bank's <br>
<br>
claim the move 'is all part of our effort to give Australians the best banking <br>
<br>
experience'.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<u><strong>'They have got to be joking,' O'Keefe said.<br>
<br>
'Are these people for real?'</strong></u><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
O'Keefe said customers assessing cash costs <br>
<br>
the financial giant about $400 million a year but noted the bank made a whopping profit of almost $10billion last financial year after tax.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<b><u>'This is all about boosting the bottom line,' O'Keefe said.</u></b><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
A Commonwealth Bank spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that it 'continues to offer customers free cash withdrawals from our national ATM network'.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
They added that it would continue 'to offer waivers on assisted withdrawal fees for customers who meet certain criteria <br>
<br>
including certain types of pension recipients, those who deposit <br>
<br>
$2,000 a month, and those aged under-18.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<u><b>2GB's Chris O'Keefe, seen with wife Yvonne Sampson, <br>
<br>
has been one of the fee's leading critics</b></u><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'Our Streamline Basic account has no monthly account fees <br>
<br>
or assisted withdrawal fees and is available to customers who hold an eligible concession card.'<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
CommBank group executive of retail banking <br>
<br>
services Angus Sullivan said in a statement on Wednesday the change had been 'poorly communicated' with the <br>
<br>
bank's customers.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'The changes taking place are such that approximately 90 percent of <br>
<br>
customers we intend to move, and who we expect will <br>
<br>
be better off or the same, will be moved to the lower monthly fee account,' <br>
<br>
he said.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<u><b>'If those customers don't want to move, they can contact <br>
<br>
us to discuss their options. </b></u><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'For the remaining customers we are changing our approach and we are <br>
<br>
pausing the migration. Instead, we will contact these customers over the next six months to communicate about suitable product options.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'The changes outlined above do not affect approximately nine-million CommBank customers who are not on the Complete Access <br>
<br>
product.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'Commonwealth Bank maintains the largest branch network.<br>
<br>
Each of our branches has fee free ATMs and we have a <br>
<br>
moratorium on regional branch closures until at least the end of 2026.'<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Commonwealth BankSydney<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Stop by my site <a href="http://www.zilahy.info/wiki/index.php?title=7_">ขาย wine</a>
EXCLUSIVE<br>