Westpac is using two former Labor Treasury portfolio staff to represent its interests in Canberra as banking regulation moves to the centre of the political agenda.

Long-time Labor adviser and former NRMA Public Affairs head Brett Gale, who was chief-of-staff to Chris Bowen when the latter was assistant Treasurer, joined Westpac from the NSW Tourism and Transport Forum in August. Marcus James, former adviser to Bowen's successor as assistant Treasurer, Nick Sherry, had arrived a few weeks earlier.