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!

The federal budget has been handed down, and with it, major changes to tax treatment for investors. But will the changes have the intended effect of making the Australian property market more accessible? In this episode of In Focus, real estate educator Tom Panos joins Momentum Media's director, Phil Tarrant, and managing editor for real estate, Liam Garman, to pull apart the most controversial investor tax changes in years. From the scrapping of negative gearing for all but new builds, to rethinking how capital gains tax works, and the breaking of core election promises, this discussion connects the dots between government policy and the future of Australian property investment. The trio discuss why the moves may have unintended consequences, why accountants and brokers will now be hot property, and why the budget fails to address the elephant in the room: supply. Tune in to find out:

• Why the indexation model might actually benefit long-term investors.
• How the government is reshaping the risk–reward balance for rentvestors and aspiring home owners.
• The structural reason supply won't budge, even with $2 billion in government stimulus.

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 igniting his passion for property investment, Amol Khuntale made the leap into mortgage broking to help other investors, now running a tech-backed brokerage that has been doubling its volumes year on year.

In this episode of Elite Broker, host Annie Kane catches up with the founder of Melbourne-based brokerage Ask Financials to hear how he transitioned from retail banking to mastering complex trust structures for sophisticated investors, his journey of building a 17-person team, and why he believes the future of broking lies in bespoke AI and automation.

Tune in to find out:

• How he manages the workload of a sole broker writing over 700 loans a year.
• Why he is building a custom CRM to automate client communication through AI and LLMs.
• The "80 per cent rule" for scaling a team.

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!

What does a war in the Middle East have to do with an Australian small business? Potentially, everything.

In this episode of In Focus, sponsored by Banjo Loans, Annie Kane is joined by Guy Callaghan, chief executive officer of Banjo Loans, to explore why global geopolitical shocks are hitting far closer to home than many business owners realise. From the spike in fuel and fertiliser costs to the emergence of a "multi-speed" economy across states, this conversation looks at the reality of navigating an SME landscape that is shifting daily.

Tune in to find out:

• How conflict in the Middle East is driving up supply chain costs and reshaping which Australian industries are thriving or struggling.
• Key insights from Banjo Loans' SME Compass Report 2026.
• Practical ways brokers can use the soon to be released "Fast Fit" triage tools to support clients now and into the future.

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!

What was already one of this year's biggest stories in the mortgage and finance space continued to unfold this week, with confirmation that major aggregator Finsure has terminated its sub-aggregation agreement with Hai Money.

But what does this mean for the more than 200 mortgage brokers operating under Hai Money's licence at the time of termination?

The Adviser's editor Annie Kane, senior journalist Charlie Tchetchenian, and commercial content writer Ben Squires unpack the latest developments on this episode of What's Making Headlines – your weekly wrap-up of all the news shaping the mortgage and finance broking space.

They also discuss:

• Recent fraud arrests and what aggregators do to check compliance.
• Broker backlash as the latest CSLR levies land on desks.
• New CPI data and what it means for next week's rate decision.

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!

Borrower retention schemes are back in the spotlight after media reports revealed a major bank offering cash incentives to customers already partway through the refinancing process.

But brokers have hit back, saying these schemes undermine competition and effectively waste hours of unpaid work.

Join The Adviser's senior journalist, Charlie Tchetchenian, and commercial content writer, Ben Squires, as they unpack questions of channel conflict in this week's episode of What's Making Headlines – your weekly wrap-up of all the news shaping the mortgage and finance broking space.

They also discuss:

• Why brokers are increasingly walking away from certain types of deals.
• Confirmation of fraud in the network of one of Australia's biggest aggregators.
• A broker association's appearance before the Senate select committee on productivity.

And much more!