A trip down memory lane with Joanne Ciantar

Jo Ciantar was 18 when she walked through the doors of the Police Credit Co-op in William St, in February 1986. She was rapt to have a job in banking – a job that came with some security and prospects of building a career in the years ahead.

Jo was one of twelve bank tellers, who worked behind bulletproof glass in the banking chamber. The safety measure was a reflection of the bank’s customers – it’s members, who also owned the bank as shareholders in the Co-op – Victoria Police.

“For police, by police”, was the mantra, Jo says. “We knew how to identify the different ranks based on their lapels and worked very much in the same way as the police we were serving – carefully, efficiently, and respectfully.”

“We knew the police really well, they’d be in every payday and bring in their bills. There were no ATMs in those days, and no EFTPOS or online banking, so everything was done in the branches. The queue on pay day was HUGE, it trailed out the doors and around the corner! People had to queue to come in and get their money. We handled a lot of cash as that was all there was then.

Most people came in and filled in withdrawal forms, and had cheques made out to pay their utility bills. We’d perforate the payment slip for them, address the cheque and put them in window-faced envelopes and post them straight off for a lot of members. Whatever was left was usually withdrawn in cash for whatever they needed to spend it on before the next pay in a fortnight, and it’d go like that again. It was very much a routine.”

A few months into Jo’s time at the Co-op, a horrible tragedy would take place… the bombing of the Russell Street headquarters of Victoria Police, in which Constable Angela Taylor would be killed.

“It was obviously a really sad and difficult time for police, and everyone felt it at the Co-op. These were our members, the regular customers who’d have a chat while doing their banking, and one of their own was taken so suddenly and cruelly.”

Jo says the Co-op would meet new police recruits as they graduated from the academy and get to know them over the years as they came in to do their banking and withdraw their pay.

“Everyone joined the Co-op straight out of the academy. We were their bank and over the years we’d see people work hard, get promoted or move divisions, and really build a career in the force”.

Jo Ciantar is congratulated on 10 years' service by then-CEO Bob Newbound.

Those same relationships were established with colleagues at the Co-op.

“We all knew each other really well, because we worked every day together and got to be really close. We had a strong social base and a lot of get togethers. Those friendships resulted in some marriages between staff, some of the regular members they got to know, and even siblings of other staff members! Because we all celebrated life’s milestones with each other, those friendships and relationships grew over time and it was a really lovely thing to see and be part of. We even held annual girls’ weekends away, leaving on a Friday straight from work and returning Sunday night.”

Jo worked as a teller for a bit over a year before moving into the lending department.

“Most of what we did was mortgages and overdrafts. This was before credit cards, so it was quite different to how it is now.”

Police Credit relocated to Cardigan St Carlton; Jo worked her way to becoming a team leader in the lending department and Manager Member Services working with the Co-op for ten years, until she started a family of her own.

“Part time wasn’t really an option in those days, so after I had my first baby I resigned as that was the done thing back then. But after about eight months I really missed the place and the people, so approached my former manager about the possibility of casual work. I came back into a project management role and did that for a while.”

Family and work would soon combine for Jo, as her parents started their own business and offered their daughter a job with them. It was a difficult decision, but one Jo made in the best interests of her family at the time.

“I left and worked in my parents’ business while I was raising my kids, but still kept in touch with my Co-op colleagues – friends, really.”

In 2021, Jo returned to BankVic, as the Co-op was now known, though the passage of time meant some natural changes had occurred.

“My parents had sold their business and it just felt like a good opportunity for me. Over the years the bank had grown and expanded, with members in other sectors. I came back to a branch role at a hospital so that was really different as I’d worked with police members for years.”

One of the more interesting changes was seeing some of her new colleagues were children of people she worked with in her first stint.

“David Lawler was one of the people I worked with in the early years and coming back in 2021 and working with his daughter Justine was quite surreal! I remember her as a baby, and now she’s making her own way in the people and culture area and organising all staff meetings, which is great to watch and remember.”

Earlier in 2024, Jo transferred to the branch at the Victoria Police Centre in Melbourne’s CBD, and enjoyed returning to work with police members. She has seen a lot of change over time, but loves the focus on the core bond with police.

“We were started by police and while change is inevitable, it’s really nice to see that police relationship be a big focus. I’ve seen a lot of different ways of doing things over the years and use the benefit of that knowledge to help wherever I can.”