National Party senators issued an almighty take down of the ANZ on Tuesday.
They weren't happy that the bank decided to stop financing the Port of Newcastle.
Nationals Senator Matt Canavan said he was disappointed Australian banks were not backing Australian businesses.
"The big businesses and elites of this country are deserting Australian workers and Australian small businesses," Mr Canavan told Sky News.
Resources Minister Keith Pitt said the Port had fallen victim to "corporate activism".
We put this to our banking insider Troy "Chevy" Whiteside, a Topics contributor.
Troy, who has been a banker for 23 years, said "it's a very sensitive and touchy subject up there in Newcastle I'm sure".
"But I'm not sure why a publicly listed entity such as ANZ should be obliged to lend money to an industry or customer simply because they are a big employer," Troy said.
"There are lots of industries and businesses which banks simply choose to avoid because their 'values' are not aligned - or more pertinently because the banks don't want to risk a PR disaster by lending to a controversial business.
"And why shouldn't corporations be proactive in driving environmental change? I would much rather they do that than continue to put profit above everything else - that's exactly why the environment has been raped and devastated."
Perhaps things will actually change "if banks and other influential industries and corporations get serious about environmental change and are willing for the first time to make it a priority ahead of profits".
"Or they can just keep paying lip service to the issue and see where that leaves our grandchildren."
The National Australia Bank has stepped in to underwrite the port.
Troy said ANZ may have made a "credit decision or a judgement call to scale back its exposure", but "NAB and the others are free to increase their exposure".
"Our banks should always have the independent right to assess and determine what legitimate businesses they want to support and fund. The domestic banks aren't controlled or owned by the federal government, as so many of the Chinese banks are."
He said it seemed hypocritical for the Nationals to be pressuring the ANZ and almost trying to "dictate the lending practices of our privately owned banks".
This kind of activity leans towards the Chinese way of operating. That is, government control.
"These same people are the most vocal about the negative and unfair influence of the Chinese government in recent trade activities," he said.
Solar Fires
Solahart, which has been in the solar game in Australia for 65 years, is calling for "greater consumer education to ensure families can make informed choices when purchasing solar - in order to protect themselves".
"Recent data from Fire and Rescue NSW has shown that faulty solar products and poor installation practices are putting families and homes at risk," Solahart general manager Stephen Cranch said.
"Consumers need to know there are unregulated installers jumping on the growing demand for smart solar solutions, whose products aren't locally tested and whose services can't be guaranteed."
He urged consumers to do their research and educate themselves on the warning signs of an unreliable solar provider.
"Know who you are dealing with."
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