The jury is in: paying off a mortgage now is harder than it has ever been – even when interest rates were up around 17 per cent. But why?

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.

Join host Annie Kane, commercial content writer Ben Squires, and senior journalist Charlie Tchetchenian as they review the news of the week.

This week, they discuss:

• Why today's mortgage interest burden is heavier than the 1990s.
• The top priorities for the new CEO of the FBAA.
• The surprising users of the government's guarantee schemes.

And much more!

From forklift salesman to financing multimillion-dollar firefighting helicopters and 200-tonne excavators, James Allan has carved out a unique and highly successful lane in the asset finance space.

As the director of Sydney-based brokerage MFG Finance, he has bypassed the high-volume car loan market to focus entirely on heavy machinery, mining, and civil construction assets across Australia.

In this week's episode of Elite Broker, host Annie Kane catches up with the heavy equipment specialist to discuss how he manages a national portfolio alongside his business partner with zero KPIs, how he involves his clients in his social media strategy, and top tips for writing asset finance loans.

Tune in to find out:

• How he built a highly specialised commercial asset portfolio.
• His strategy for navigating tough serviceability conversations with clients and their accountants.
• Why he turns away consumer car finance inquiries.

And much more!

Happy new financial year! As FY27 rolls in, a wave of compliance shake-ups, shifting housing data, and explosive media headlines are set to completely reshape the landscape for mortgage and finance brokers.

Join host Annie Kane, commercial content writer Ben Squires, and senior journalist Charlie Tchetchenian as they review the news of the week.

This week, they discuss:

• What FY27 has in store for borrowers.
• Should Australia have a National Economic Crime Strategy?
• The latest changes in the government's Help to Buy scheme.

And much more!

Just one year after taking the leap to launch his own work-from-home franchise, the Bendigo-based broker took home the prestigious Victoria/Tasmania Editor's Choice Award at the Better Business Awards 2026. In this week's episode of Elite Broker, host Annie Kane catches up with the Mortgage Choice broker Nathan Newlan to discuss how he transitioned from banking to become a broker writing 135 loans a year, what it's like broking in the regions, and the importance of community networks.

Tune in to find out:

• How he's been scaling his Mortgage Choice franchise.
• His structure for managing a high-volume business.
• The importance of harnessing local community engagement.

And much more!

A surprise political deal has blindsided the mortgage industry this week, threatening to wipe out large chunks of broker pipelines overnight.

Join host Annie Kane, senior journalist Charlie Tchetchenian, and commercial content writer Ben Squires as they review a frantic week of massive legislative shifts.

This week, they discuss:

• The sudden government deal to ban residential property lending within SMSFs, and what the industry thinks about it.
• ASIC's car lending review exposes concerns about consumer harm.
• Why auction clearance rates are crashing.

And much more!

What does it take to write 150 loans in your first year as a solo broker? For regional Victoria broker Jay Nash, the answer lies in generating a strong social following and backing himself 100 per cent.

After building a stellar reputation in commercial and small business banking across major and regional institutions, the Shepparton-based professional took the leap into residential and commercial broking in 2025. Since then, his business organic momentum has skyrocketed – forcing him to shift from a survival-mode solo operation to rapidly onboarding a full-time offshore processing team to combat burnout and support his growing volumes.

In this episode of the New Broker podcast, host Annie Kane dials in with the founder of Empire Finance Mortgage Brokers to look at how he built a regional powerhouse, the costly mistakes he made along the way, and how he balances rapid business growth with raising three young kids.

Tune in to find out:

• How he generates leads and stays front of mind with borrowers.
• The benefits of diversifying into asset finance.
• Why he decided to hire offshore processors.

And much more!

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!

With record market share, a rapidly changing credit environment, and increasingly sophisticated technological updates, the mortgage broking industry is more rewarding than ever, but building a brand-new business requires a lot more than just a laptop and a phone. In this jam-packed episode of the New Broker podcast, recorded live on the ground at the New Broker Academy 2026 – run with support from principal partner Bendigo Bank Broker – host Ben Squires catches up with a dynamic line-up of new brokers, aggregators, and finance partners to uncover the real-world strategies that separate new broker success from early burnout.

Tune in to find out:

• The critical importance of focusing on prospecting rather than processing loans.
• How to diversify your business for success.
• The strategies brokers can use to build authentic, long-term referral relationships.

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!

In a market defined by uncertainty, brokers need lending partners that can deliver speed, flexibility, and certainty to achieve the best possible outcomes for their clients.

Damien Simonfi, founder and CEO of Capital Bridging Finance, joins In Focus to discuss the dynamics behind one of the most challenging lending environments in recent years.

He also explores changing credit appetites among major lenders, the rise of second-tier lending, how flexibility has become a key differentiator, and why short-term and bridging lenders are no longer viewed as lenders of last resort but as strategic solution providers.

Tune in to find out:

• The growing need for brokers who can take a more strategic approach.
• Why a one-size-fits-all approach to funding is no longer effective.
• The importance of working with a partner that has a proven track record.

And much more!