ANZ could fire 600 staff in Australia

Will outsource jobs to either the Philippines or New Zealand.

A leaked memo reveals that ANZ or the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd. is considering moving call center jobs based in Mulgrave and head office jobs in South Melbourne to the Philippines or New Zealand to save money.

An ANZ spokesman said, however, that no final decision has been made. The bank sent 70 jobs offshore last month and fired 1,000 staff last year.

The proposed firings have met with widespread criticism in Australia as ANZ posted an A$3.2 billion first-half profit this year. Critics said ANZ can afford to keep every single one of these jobs in Australia.