In this episode of Beyond The Numbers, Christian Stevens sits down with Peter White AM, Managing Director of the FBAA and one of the most respected advocates the Australian mortgage broking industry has ever had.
Peter’s career spans decades. He started in banking in the 1970s, moved into investment banking, built his own brokerage in regional New South Wales and became one of the first brokers in Australia to advertise on television. He has lived every version of this industry, from fax machines and Olivetti computers through to today’s conversations about AI.
Over the years, Peter has been front and centre of every major regulatory change shaping modern broking. From the Uniform Consumer Credit Code to the NCCP Act and Best Interests Duty, he has been in the room fighting for brokers and for the long term health of the industry. That work was recognised with a Member of the Order of Australia for his service to both broking and mental health.
This conversation goes well beyond policy and headlines.
Peter speaks openly about clawbacks, net-of-offset commissions and the growing frustration around channel conflict, including where he believes the industry needs to draw a firm line in the sand on remuneration. He also shares why he believes banks and brokers must work together, not push the industry into a race to the bottom.
But this episode is just as much about people as it is about business.
Peter opens up about mental health, living with anxiety, finding balance and what culture really means when you strip it back. From “Toasty Tuesdays” to motorbikes and sleep routines, he shares simple but powerful lessons on leadership, resilience and actually caring about the people around you.
This is not a highlight reel.
It’s an honest conversation about what it really takes to build a sustainable career, lead through change and still find peace along the way.
This is Beyond The Numbers.
Chapters:
00:00:00 23 years at the FBAA: From volunteer roles to Managing Director
00:07:30 Cutting teeth in the 70s: The era of Olivetti computers and the first ATMs
00:15:00 The regulatory milestones that shaped the modern broker
00:22:00 The truth about clawbacks and the 342% increase in lost commissions
00:30:00 Channel Conflict: Why major banks are creating a "race to the bottom"
00:37:00 Winning an AM: Advocacy beyond the industry line
00:45:00 The "Black Dog": Peter’s raw advice on mental health and anxiety
00:52:00 Toasty Tuesdays and why culture is just about being human
01:00:00 Finding peace: 1900cc motorbikes and the power of being present
01:05:00 AI and the future: Why the "Terminator" isn't coming for your job yet
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Learn more about Flint: https://flintgroup.au/
Connect with Christian Stevens:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/propertyfinance/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cmrstevens/
Connect with Peter White:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-j-white-am-b094607/
Website: https://www.fbaa.com.au/
