A loose association, even if only by national origins, with the near failure of the Belgian-Dutch banking group Fortis at the end of September, proved problematic for the deposit gathering efforts of ING Direct in Australia during October.Monthly banking statistics published on Friday by APRA, and reflecting balance sheet data at the end of October 2008, show that the Dutch banking group suffered deposit outflows during the month. ING was the only bank with retail deposit strategies to do so.ING's household deposit balance fell $808 million, or four per cent, to $18.4 billion over October. ING had experienced a minor outflow of deposits during September as well.Rabobank, which like ING is also headquartered in the Netherlands, experienced an inflow of $300 million, or 17 per cent, in its much smaller deposit book. The bank's rare status as a Aaa rated bank might have helped.