GRRR: My whinge about banks

Considering that the ones who design, build, and operated governments around the world are the same people who do the same for big business around the world, it's natural if the bureaucracies found in them are quite similiar or even the same.

Anyway. It's better if you contact the operator of the Westpac A.T.M. that you visited, they might benefit with some of the inputs you can provide to improve on their A.T.M.

As for entering P.I.N.

Well... After two failed attempts, the third attempt is very risky. Doing a P.I.N. entry for the third time for that day is not recommended.

Though I do think that A.T.M. that allowed one to access it menues even after an incorrect P.I.N. have been entered is kinda deceiving, it lead one to think that everything is okay. Wrong P.I.N. should have automatically be declared immediately by the A.T.M.

As for P.I.N.

Personally, it might better to have the same P.I.N. for a few cards. It might be a bit riskier, but in the same time, you don't have to remember multiple P.I.N., and also that you don't have to worry about which P.I.N. for which card.

It's kinda like having a skeleton key to a few rooms in the house.

As for St. George policy.

Maybe their policy told them to do so because the chances that the card might have been stolen by a fake A.T.M. or a fake slot. Granted though that they shouldn't quickly jump the gun and declare one should get new cards and new P.I.N., but then again, in terms of bureaucracy, it's faster that way.

As for Westpac policy of destroying retained cards.

Well... Probably to prevent one of their employees to misused his or her authority.

Though it would be nice if the A.T.M. acted as a temporary safe deposit box.

As for honesty is not the best policy sometimes.

Well... Considering Westpac's policy, I don't think you would be lying at all if you said that you accidentally destroyed your card.