The Adviser Podcast Network

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has handed out its June cash rate decision, and while the decision didn't surprise too many, it does have the market asking what's next. In this week's episode of The Adviser's What's Making Headlines podcast, your go-to source for the biggest stories in finance and real estate, managing editor Annie Kane, senior journalist Charlie Tchetchenian, and commercial content writer Ben Squires unpack the central bank's latest call and its refusal to rule out future rate cuts. They also discuss: A major lender's move to disaccredit brokers who haven't written a loan in over 12 months. The federal government's sweeping capital gains tax carve-outs for small businesses and start-ups. The leading factor brokers consider when recommending a lender revealed in Broker Pulse's 2026 Third-Party Lending Report. And much more!

Welcome to The Adviser's What's Making Headlines podcast, your go-to source for the week's biggest stories in finance and real estate, distilled into bite-sized insights. Broker market share has finally crossed the historic 80 per cent threshold, but how much higher can the third-party channel actually go before artificial intelligence kicks in? Join host Annie Kane, senior journalist Charlie Tchetchenian, and commercial content writer Ben Squires as they dissect a monumental week of news for the mortgage industry. The team discusses National Australia Bank, major warnings from ANZ and Westpac predicting a substantial slowdown in mortgage lending, and a steep drop in investor activity off the back of proposed federal budget tax changes. This week, they discuss: The MFAA data revealing broker market share surged to a record 81 per cent in the March quarter. Why National Australia Bank completely reversed its rate forecast to predict the next cash rate move will be down. How major banks are forecasting a sharp slowdown in mortgage credit and property price growth for fiscal year 2027. And much more!

After a life-altering accident required Katherine Looke to leave her corporate job, she thrived under the flexibility of mortgage and finance broking and now specialises in working with essential services workers. In this episode of New Broker, host Annie Kane chats to the First Look Finance founder about her first 18 months in the industry and how she's building her broking business for future growth through diversification and deep community networking. Tune in to find out: The unique challenges of writing loans for essential services personnel. How she manages her growing workflow. Why she's diversifying into commercial finance. And much more!

Rising interest rates and tightening servicing requirements have left many borrowers feeling that traditional home loans are out of reach. As mainstream banks tighten their policies, a new era of specialist lending is moving into the mainstream through non-bank lenders, such as Brighten. Jason Azzopardi, CEO of non-bank lender Brighten, joins In Focus to discuss how brokers can rescue borrowers left stranded by traditional bank policies. With more Australians managing multiple income streams, trust structures, and side businesses, the traditional one-size-fits-all approach to lending is breaking down. Joining host Annie Kane, Azzopardi highlights how Brighten's broad product suite - encompassing full-doc, alt-doc, non-resident, construction and bridging finance as well as commercial lending, SMSF loans, and reverse mortgages - allows brokers to secure higher borrowing capacities and faster execution. Tune in to find out: What is driving the rapid growth of the non-bank sector. Why products like SMSF lending, trust borrowing, bridging finance, and commercial construction are surging. Top tips for submitting scenarios to credit teams to guarantee a fast "yes" or "no". And much more!

A former broker was charged this week with alleged involvement in the Penthouse Syndicate's mortgage fraud ring. The Adviser senior journalist Charlie Tchetchenian and commercial content writer Ben Squires uncover the latest in the mortgage fraud investigation and the ongoing work being done to stamp out criminal activity. The duo also review the fallout from the incoming negative gearing and CGT changes, looking at which lenders are moving quickly to strip negative gearing benefits from their serviceability calculators, and new dramatic projections warning of a sharp drop in investor activity. This week, they discuss: The major NSW Police update on the "Penthouse Syndicate" mortgage fraud investigation, which has seen a Sydney broker and bank manager arrested over tens of millions of dollars in fraudulent loans. How major lenders – including NAB, ANZ, Macquarie, and Suncorp – are rapidly updating their serviceability calculators to eliminate negative gearing benefits for established properties following the federal budget announcements. The federal court ordering Westpac to pay a $26 million penalty for repeatedly failing to properly process borrower hardship requests over a six-year period. And much more!

Can joining an existing brokerage keep new brokers from becoming just another statistic? With roughly one in two mortgage brokers failing to make it past their first 18 months, finding the right operational support and mentorship is often the thin line between a short-lived career and elite success. In this episode of the New Broker podcast, host Annie Kane welcomes Bernard Desmond, founder of Blank Financial, alongside his first new-to-industry broker, Rex Francis. The childhood friends share how they are transitioning a 35-year personal bond into a high-performing business partnership, the exact back-office structures required to fast-track a new broker's career, and why keeping brokers out of data entry is the key to scaling volumes nationwide. Tune in to find out: The exact back-office framework that frees up brokers to focus purely on prospecting. How a retainer and credit-debit model can help ease early cash flow pressures for new starters. Their top strategies for building bulletproof referral partnerships. And much more! Related article: How this broker chose his aggregator

This year has already been one of major economic upheaval, with more disruption expected to come later this year. We catch up with NAB to find out what brokers and borrowers can expect in the months ahead. Fresh off the 13th annual Better Business Summit roadshow, host Annie Kane and NAB's executive of broker distribution, Adam Brown, unpack how a confluence of global conflict, persistent inflation, and artificial intelligence is reshaping the broker channel. In this episode of In Focus, sponsored by National Australia Bank, the duo discuss what the economic environment looks like moving forward, from the "multi-speed" property markets of Western Australia and Victoria, the rise of mass affluent banking, and what's in store for the financial year ahead. Tune in to find out: Why broker sentiment varies wildly across the country. Why this round of rate hikes is hitting harder. Why the rise of AI-generated documentation requires a new level of "radical curiosity" from brokers. How NAB is updating its retail and broker offerings. And much more!

What if the secret to fixing Australia's housing crisis was making it less profitable to be an investor? Treasurer Jim Chalmers thinks he has found the answer, and it involves the most significant tax reforms since negative gearing first hit the statute books. Join host Annie Kane and senior journalist Charlie Tchetchenian as they review the fallout from a high-stakes federal budget that has effectively declared war on speculative investing. With the government looking to bridge a massive "intergenerational equity" gap, the team explores what the removal of negative gearing for established dwellings – and the overhaul of capital gains tax – means for your investor clients. The journalists also unpack the courtroom drama unfolding between Hai Money and Finsure and the ongoing consolidation and M&A activity in the broking industry. This week, they discuss: Why the federal budget is axing negative gearing and capital gains tax discounts for established properties to level the playing field for first home buyers. The Supreme Court battle between Hai Money and Finsure following the termination of a sub-aggregation agreement. How a flurry of revised cash rate forecasts from the big four banks has brokers preparing for a "higher for longer" interest rate environment. And much more!

A new wave of technology is allowing new brokers to leapfrog the competition and land directly in front of motivated borrowers, but do you know how to harness it? Ahead of his dynamic session at the New Broker Academy 2026, host Annie Kane welcomes the "mortgage marketing maven" Darrell Weekes from Purple Thread Marketing to discuss how new brokers can get a river of new clients streaming to them and build a brokerage that creates raving fans. Weekes, who has been pioneering mortgage marketing since the early 90s, shares why he thinks 2026 is the best time in history to start a brokerage, the transition from analogue networking to digital authority, and why your website might be working against you. Tune in to find out: How new brokers can build a big client book fast. How to optimise your line presence for AI platforms like Perplexity and ChatGPT. The four-step framework for building digital authority. And much more!

After the RBA's move to hike rates to 4.35 per cent, the team breaks down what this means for borrower serviceability and the "double-edged sword" facing the central bank as inflation remains stubbornly high. Plus, the team pulls apart the financial results from three major banks and looks at the shifting landscape for broker flows at the majors. The conversation also highlights the growing pressure on small businesses, with new resources designed to help brokers navigate difficult conversations before arrears set in and the looming "Payday Super" changes that could catch SMEs off guard. This week, they discuss: Why the RBA believes the current cash rate "buys them space" amid Middle East instability. The "proprietary fight back" as major banks aggressively target branch-led growth. How the upcoming Payday Super regulations will create a significant cash flow crunch for SME clients. And much more!

The leap from corporate banking to mortgage broking often promises more freedom, but for many, it leads to a "lonely" home office and a bottleneck of paperwork. Not for Daniel Liao. Since making the switch, the South Brisbane-based broker has meticulously engineered a business that allows him to manage massive volume without sacrificing his sanity or his values. In this episode of Elite Broker, host Annie Kane catches up with the Mortgage Choice broker to discuss how he has scaled his operations to handle nearly 300 loans a year as a sole broker. He shares the importance of breaking and rebuilding processes, why he focuses on a specific investor niche, and how he stays sharp in a high-pressure industry. Tune in to find out: How he utilises a team of offshore and onshore credit analysts to reduce bottlenecks. How he's able to cherry-pick the types of clients he works with. The way he integrates open banking and AI tools to deliver a "blueprint to wealth". And much more!

Trading the clandestine world of national security for the high-stakes environment of credit policy might not be a typical career pivot, but for Kit Johnson, the transition was surprisingly seamless. Before he was securing homes in Forest Lake and Ellen Grove, Johnson spent over two decades as an intelligence analyst – a role that required an obsession with fine print and the ability to stay cool when the stakes were high. Now the co-owner of Aussie Forest Lake, he has leveraged that analytical rigour to become a decorated broker in just four years. In this episode of Elite Broker, host Annie Kane welcomes the recent Better Business Awards Editor's Choice Queensland winner to discuss how he traded need-to-know secrets for the need-to-know details of the mortgage world. They discuss the realities of running a high-volume storefront brokerage, the technical expertise required to navigate a shifting market, and why his client reviews have turned locals into "raving fans" who celebrate settlements with traditional shoeys. Tune in to find out: How his background in financial crime and organised crime investigations helps him spot red flags in a rising fraud environment. Why he views high shopping center rent as an advertising investment that brings in high lead volumes. His strategies for managing a multi-generational team, as his daughter follows in his footsteps. And much more!