Australian Investors Podcast

In this Australian Investors Podcast episode, Owen Rask sits down with Alan Pullen from Magellan to unpack Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett’s investing legacy and why the business may still deserve a fresh look even as Buffett steps back from day-to-day leadership. They trace Berkshire’s path from a struggling textile mill to one of the most remarkable capital allocation machines ever built. Alan explains how insurance float, patient cash management, disciplined capital allocation and a culture shaped by Buffett and Charlie Munger helped turn Berkshire into something far bigger than a stock portfolio or a simple holding company. The conversation also digs into what many investors still miss today: why Berkshire’s huge cash pile can be a feature rather than a flaw, how the insurance engine and deferred tax base strengthen the business, and why management succession may not break the long-term thesis. Alan shares why Magellan still sees Berkshire as a high-quality compounder with meaningful downside protection, then finishes with timeless lessons on valuation, temperament and thinking like a true business owner. If you want a sharper framework for analysing world-class businesses, this is a practical deep dive into moats, compounding and capital allocation from one of investing’s most studied companies. Episode resources – Speak with the Rask Advice team – Ask a question (select the Investors podcast) Show partner resources – ETF investor? Go beyond ordinary with Global X: View all funds – Visit TermPlus to learn more – Join Pearler using the code "RASKSWITCH" and get $32 of Pearler Credit Rask resources – All services – Financial Planning – Invest with us – Access Show Notes – Ask a question – We love feedback! Follow us on social media – Instagram: @rask.invest – TikTok: @rask.invest DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on it. If you’re confused about what that means or what your needs are, you should always consult a licensed and trusted financial planner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. Remember, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. Access The Rask Group's Financial Services Guide (FSG): https://www.rask.com.au/fsg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Australian Investors Podcast, Owen Rask and Drew Meredith move from the market headlines into the real forces shaping investor behaviour right now. They start with Wesfarmers pushing higher, BHP printing fresh highs and Macquarie continuing to attract attention, then ask the question behind the moves: are these quality businesses still buys, or are investors paying up for comfort in an uncertain market? The discussion widens quickly into small-business CGT concessions, SpaceX euphoria, and the squeeze households are still feeling as wages struggle to keep pace with living costs. Owen and Drew also unpack why underemployment matters more than the headline jobs number, what the market is getting wrong about media noise, and how retail investors should think about leverage, ETF portfolios and stock selection when the rules keep shifting. There is also a practical discussion on GHHF, Megaport versus WiseTech, and whether younger investors should be chasing property, businesses or listed assets first. If you want one episode that blends ASX ideas, portfolio thinking and macro frustration without losing the practical angle, this is a sharp listen. There is plenty here for investors trying to separate temporary hype from durable business quality while still making sensible decisions with real money. Episode resources – Speak with the Rask Advice team – Ask a question (select the Investors podcast) Show partner resources – ETF investor? Go beyond ordinary with Global X: View all funds – Visit TermPlus to learn more – Join Pearler using the code "RASKSWITCH" and get $32 of Pearler Credit Rask resources – All services – Financial Planning – Invest with us – Access Show Notes – Ask a question – We love feedback! Follow us on social media – Instagram: @rask.invest – TikTok: @rask.invest DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on it. If you’re confused about what that means or what your needs are, you should always consult a licensed and trusted financial planner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. Remember, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. Access The Rask Group's Financial Services Guide (FSG): https://www.rask.com.au/fsg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode was originally featured on The Australian Finance Podcast. In this Australian Investors Podcast episode, Owen Rask is joined by Navarre Trousselot, founder of Navexa, to unpack why the proposed 2026 Federal Budget tax changes could make ETF record-keeping and capital gains reporting much messier for everyday investors. Instead of glossing over the hard bits, they walk through how capital gains tax works in Australia, why parcel selection matters, and why ATO pre-fill can give ETF investors a false sense of security. Navarre explains the trap most ETF investors miss: annual cost base adjustments. If you have been dollar-cost averaging into ETFs for years, every member statement can change the cost base of earlier parcels, which means your future CGT calculation is probably more complicated than you think. Owen and Navarre also explore how tools like Navexa can model rebalancing decisions, compare FIFO with lower-gain methods, and estimate the tax impact before you sell. They also discuss what the mooted post-July 2027 rules could mean in practice, why better records may become non-negotiable, and how investors can avoid handing extra money to the ATO just because their admin is a mess. If you own ETFs, buy shares regularly, or expect to rebalance in the years ahead, this is a practical episode worth hearing before tax time gets even trickier. Episode resources – Speak with the Rask Advice team – Ask a question (select the Investors podcast) Show partner resources – ETF investor? Go beyond ordinary with Global X: View all funds – Visit TermPlus to learn more – Join Pearler using the code "RASKSWITCH" and get $32 of Pearler Credit Rask resources – All services – Financial Planning – Invest with us – Access Show Notes – Ask a question – We love feedback! Follow us on social media – Instagram: @rask.invest – TikTok: @rask.invest DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on it. If you’re confused about what that means or what your needs are, you should always consult a licensed and trusted financial planner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. Remember, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. Access The Rask Group's Financial Services Guide (FSG): https://www.rask.com.au/fsg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Australian Investors Podcast episode, Mitch sits down with Nick Sladen for a deep dive into Cogstate and why it may be one of the more compelling ASX healthcare names right now. Alzheimer's and broader central nervous system diseases are becoming more important as populations age, and Nick explains why that matters for Cogstate. The company plays a small but critical role in clinical trials, helping large pharmaceutical groups run cognitive testing with higher accuracy, cleaner data and stronger regulatory confidence. With more than 20 years of accumulated testing data, Cogstate has built an edge that is hard to replicate quickly. Mitch and Nick also unpack the numbers behind the bull case. They discuss strong margins, net cash, a share buyback, dividend flexibility and why AI could improve throughput rather than undermine the business model. The conversation also goes beyond Alzheimer's into rare disease, depression, schizophrenia and sleep trials, plus the role partnerships like Medidata could play in widening the opportunity set. They finish by testing the risks, including pharma spending cycles, execution, competition and the possibility that AI changes parts of the workflow over time. If you want a practical breakdown of a high-quality small-cap healthcare business with structural tailwinds, this episode is well worth your time. Episode resources Speak with the Rask Advice team Ask a question (select the Investors podcast) Show partner resources ETF investor? Go beyond ordinary with Global X: View all funds Visit TermPlus to learn more Have the chance to win a 5k travel voucher. Take the TermPlus survey here (last entry 31st of May) Rask Resources All services Financial Planning Invest with us Access Show Notes Ask a question We love feedback! Follow us on social media: Instagram: @rask.invest TikTok: @rask.invest DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on it. If you’re confused about what that means or what your needs are, you should always consult a licensed and trusted financial planner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. Remember, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. Access The Rask Group's Financial Services Guide (FSG): https://www.rask.com.au/fsg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices