Westpac is one of the four major Australian banks. As with the other major four banks, Australians have a love/hate relationship with Westpac. There is a disdain for the major banks but Australia cannot live without them. Australian financial regulation protects the four major banks from takeover making them highly profitable and uncompetitive (akin to a utility company). Although they are strongly incentivsed by profit, they also operate on a social license which means they cannot ignore the demands of the government. Hence, although we reluctantly put up with their poor service levels, if there is a financial institution that is going to help Australian's out of a tough financial position, it will be one of the four major banks.