The Numbers Game

The bank of mum and dad is now Australia's fifth largest lender, with $35 billion a year flowing from parents to kids trying to get into property. Most of it completely undocumented and with no plan for how it comes back. Nick's seen it go wrong firsthand, and this is what both sides need to hear before any money changes hands.

The five-day work week hasn't changed since Henry Ford introduced it in 1926, and Nick reckons AI might be the thing that finally ends it. Thanks to AI productivity gains in service businesses are already real, and the question isn't whether people can get five days of work done in four, it's whether business owners will pass that time back or just pocket the margin. Do you think a four-day week could actually work in Australia?

Most people start the year fired up, then fall back into the same yearly pattern and end up on the fast track to burnout by December. So how do you break that cycle and stay consistent all year? It’s our first episode back for 2026, and Nick runs through the patterns he’s noticed in himself and the system he’s putting in place this year to keep energy and momentum steady, from quarterly goals and daily priorities to saying no more often and building in proper resets before the wheels fall off.

After five years and more than 260 episodes of The Numbers Game, our mate Marty is hanging up the headphones. In today’s episode, he walks us through the five biggest lessons he’s learned across his career and life, from backing yourself and keeping things simple to building strong relationships, setting clear goals and understanding the edge that makes you stand out. Lots of wisdom and the kind of perspective you only get from decades in the game.

Today we look at why Singapore’s tax system delivers stronger incentives for business and workers, from 17% company tax to lower personal tax rates and no capital gains. We compare the cost-of-living trade-offs, how innovation is supported, and what Australia could learn from a model that rewards progress instead of punishing it.

You may have seen a post on social media claiming 142,000 millionaires are leaving Australia. So today we look at what the migration report actually says, who’s really leaving, and how many wealthy people are moving here instead. We talk about migration, housing, cost of living, safety, and why some Aussies are heading to Dubai and Singapore. A clear look at whether migration is helping or hurting Australia’s future.

Imagine being months away from retirement, logging into your super account, and seeing your balance at zero. That’s what thousands of Australians are now facing after the collapse of multiple superannuation funds, with more than $1.2 billion in retirement savings wiped out. Today we explain how this happened, what went wrong with the platforms and checks that were supposed to protect investors, and why the system isn’t working the way it should. We also share the simple ways to spot red flags, avoid cold-call traps, and choose a financial advisor you can trust.