One of Australia's largest banks has committed to retaining regional branches for another three years, following a federal inquiry into the impact of branch closures on country towns.

On Monday, Westpac announced it would extend its moratorium on bank closures in the regions from 2027 to 2030.

The company also said it would pilot a new Community Banking Service and implement ways to attract staff to smaller areas.

But the chair of the Senate committee, which headed the inquiry, said the recommendations handed down last year had gone largely unanswered by the federal government.

Commitment to the regions

In 2024, a Senate committee report into the impact of bank closures in regional Australia was handed down.

After receiving more than 600 submissions and touring the country to hear t

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