A Tasmanian farmer who lost everything says the ANZ bank never showed any empathy or compassion.

Michael and Dimity Hirst have finally received an apology from the bank, after their lawyer questioned an ANZ executive at the banking royal commission.

Mr Hirst unexpectedly gave evidence himself, the first former Landmark customer to directly tell their story to the commission about how they were treated by ANZ.

He said there was no doubt ANZ played a role in the couple losing everything.

"They have never once, ever shown any empathy," Mr Hirst told a Brisbane hearing on Wednesday.

"They have never shown any compassion and they have never apologised."

The Hirsts bred cattle and sheep at their northern Tasmanian farm and began investing in the forestry industry, but ran into financial difficulties in 2011.

ANZ eventually wrote off the Hirsts' $4.88 million remaining debt and paid the former Landmark customers $684,000 in compensation after a former High Court judge evaluated their case.

The inquiry heard the bank placed "tough" obligations on the Tasmanian farmers in a deal that delayed enforcement action and it also increased the interest rate on their facilities when they were already under financial stress.

ANZ executive Ben Steinberg apologised to the Hirsts during Wednesday's hearing.

Mr Hirst, who was applauded by other farmers as he left the hearing room, later said he accepted the apology but noted it took the bank eight years to apologise.

A significant number of former Landmark customers felt they were treated unfairly by ANZ after the bank bought the Landmark Financial Services loan book in 2010.

Mr Steinberg revealed the bank has paid $40 million in total in between 40 and 50 cases involving former Landmark customers, through debt forgiveness, refunded interest or compensation.