A further five Westpac-owned bank branches in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are set to close their doors next month – the latest in a slew of closures in a move slammed by the union today.

Two Westpac branches in Sydney – Mortdale and Neutral Bay – will close on April 21, along with the St George branch on Queen Street in Brisbane's CBD and the Westpac-owned Bank of Melbourne branches at Brimbank and Point Cook in Victoria.

It comes just a month after Westpac announced plans to close 20 branches across the country.

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It has since agreed to a moratorium of eight of these closures until the end of the year amid a Senate inquiry into the impact of regional branch closures.

The Finance Sector Union (FSU) labelled the decision "savage", especially coming amid the Senate inquiry.

"We know bank customers are under financial stress as rising interest rates and the cost of living eat into their pay packets," FSU national secretary Julia Angrisano said.

"At a time like this, many customers will want to be able to go to their local branch and seek help to manage their finances."

Westpac announced plans to close 20 bank branches across the country

It comes just weeks after Westpac agreed to a moratorium on its plans to shutter eight regional branches amid a Senate inquiry into the impact of regional branch closures

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Westpac told 9news.com.au it did not take the decision to close branches lightly.

"We consider a number of factors such as branch usage, customer demographics, location, and proximity to other transaction banking services, including other local branches and our Bank@Post service," a Westpac spokesperson said.

"We are witnessing a significant change to the way people are choosing to bank.

"Customers are using branches less, for fewer reasons, and choosing to use digital and virtual banking more often."

The bank says currently 96 per cent of banking transactions occur digitally in both regional and metropolitan areas.

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The extensive list of covenants included a house of 240sq m built with modern materials.

Underwater sites of historical and cultural value – including submerged Indigenous heritage areas and historic shipwrecks – need tougher protection, Australian MPs have warned.

Threats include scrap metal hunters and looters who have targeted shipwrecks – including World War II warships – often disturbing the bodies of drowned sailors.

To safeguard these and other underwater sites, the federal government should ratify a United Nations convention, the parliamentary treaties committee urged in a new report.

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Australia has 8000 shipwreck and submerged aircraft sites, with about 500,000 protected artefacts recovered from those sites.

But experts told the committee advances in technology are making underwater sites more vulnerable than ever.

The wrecks of Australian, British, Dutch and Japanese warships from World War II have been pillaged by scrap metal hunters over past years.

There are also concerns about the state of the wreck of Australia's first submarine, the AE1, which sank at the start of World War I in 1914 but was not found until 2018.

Parts made of valuable metals, such as propellers, can be sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The MPs urged the federal government to ratify the UN convention on the protection of underwater cultural heritage.

It would increase safeguards for heritage that has been submerged for at least 100 years.

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Committee chair and Labor MP Josh Wilson said Australia had helped draft the UN convention but should now take a step further. 

"Ratification would allow more scope for Australia to assist other state parties in the preservation of Australian UCH outside our own waters, like warships sunk in battle," he said.

"Australia would also be able to lead by example and encourage other states in the Asia-Pacific to become state parties."

Academics had told MPs that during the past 20,000 years, two million square kilometres of Australia's land mass had been submerged.

"This means that many historic Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sites – dating back thousands of years – lie underwater and can be protected, preserved or studied," Wilson said.

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The accused person has been charged by police with blackmail and pleaded not guilty.

US retail giant TK Maxx has announced it will officially open its first outlet in Western Australia later this year in response "to popular demand".

The global discount retailer – which currently boasts stores in almost every other Australian jurisdiction except the Northern Territory – said a Perth branch would open by spring.

TK Maxx first launched in Australia in 2017 and has since doubled its presence across the country in the last five years.

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The Massachusetts-based company offers a broad range of women's, men's, and kids' fashion as well accessories, beauty and homewares, both in-store and online.

"We're delighted to finally announce that TK Maxx is opening in Perth," the franchise's Australian spokesperson Tony Dunseath said.

"Extending into Western Australia is a huge milestone for TK Maxx.

"We're excited for shoppers to enjoy our unique shopping experience as we open stores across Perth over the coming years.

"Our stores offer big brands at small prices with new styles arriving multiple times a week so there is always incredible value to be discovered on every visit."

The Perth store will formally open later in the year at the Ocean Keys Shopping Centre in Clarkson, with a view to open further branches in the future.

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Passengers onboard a Jetstar flight have described the moment a Melbourne man was Tasered and arrested after sitting in an incorrect seat as "very violent".

Bolic Bet Malou wanted to sit next to his family while on a flight departing Perth on Saturday night when the cabin crew asked him to move.

Australian Federal Police (AFP) were called to the flight about a "disorderly and aggressive passenger."

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Police said Malou allegedly refused to get off the plane and physically assaulted an officer trying to arrest him, injuring three officers in total.

Shocked passengers filmed the heated confrontation that spiralled after an AFP officer deployed their Taser.

"You've failed to comply with aircraft instructions. I need you to come with me right now," an AFP officer can be heard saying to Malou.

"Either you come with us voluntarily or we're going to grab you."

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Passenger Jaeris Vansson said the situation turned "violent" quickly.

"It just escalated so fast," he told 9News.

"It went from like just this argument with staff, to this guy screaming at the top of his lungs being Tasered.

"It was very violent and very sudden. Even I was shaking."

The plane eventually took off without Malou and his family.

The 30-year-old was arrested and charged with assaulting and obstructing police.

Jetstar confirmed its staff had called for AFP assistance. 

"The safety of our customers and crew is our number one priority and while the vast majority of our customers behave well, we have zero tolerance for those who don't," the airline said in a statement.

"Our crew called the AFP for assistance when a customer became abusive towards our crew, repeatedly refusing to follow their instructions to move to his assigned seat.

"The AFP removed two customers from the aircraft, and one was later arrested.

"After checking on the welfare of the remaining customers and crew on board, the flight departed Perth approximately one hour after its scheduled departure time.

"We thank passengers for their patience as our crew worked with the AFP to manage the situation."

To see the full video and an interview with Malou, watch 9News Perth at 6pm or catch up on 9Now.

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