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!

In an increasingly competitive broker market, the ability to offer out-of-the-box solutions, such as deposit bonds, can be a powerful point of differentiation.

Nick Rumpff, head of sales and distribution at Deposit Power, joins In Focus to offer a fresh perspective on the role deposit bonds can play in today's market.

He shares practical tips on how to introduce deposit bonds to clients, outlines strategies for breaking down barriers with agents and vendors, and explains why deposit bonds should be a staple in every broker's toolkit. Rumpff also walks through several real-world broker scenarios where deposit bonds have been a game changer for clients.

Tune in to find out:

• The truth behind common deposit bond myths and misconceptions.
• Proven ways to turn deposit bonds into a competitive edge.
• How deposit bonds can provide a point of difference for brokers.

And much more!

Starting out as a new broker is often synonymous with a steep learning curve of credit policies and lender accreditations. But what if your path into the industry didn't involve writing loans at all?

In this episode of New Broker, we speak with Andrea (Ange) McNaughton, managing director of Loan Market Razor. After a decade as a high-level executive at LMG, McNaughton made the pivot from corporate leadership to business ownership.

While she initially set out to be a traditional broker, McNaughton quickly realised that her strengths lay in building the business, not the bank files. She joins host Annie Kane to share why she decided to "back herself" as a non-writing director and how she is redefining what success looks like for a new entrant in the 2026 market.

Tune in to find out:

• What being a non-loan-writing member of the broking industry entails.
• How she's using her corporate background to implement AI and streamline the "back office" engine room.
• Why she believes new brokers should never start completely alone.

And much more!

Mortgage fraud has become a key talking point across the broking industry, with fresh reports suggesting the ongoing probe by lenders and regulators uncovered alleged involvement from both bankers and mortgage brokers. So just how widespread is the issue?

Senior journalist Charlie Tchetchenian and commercial content writer Ben Squires delve into the latest developments in this week's episode of What's Making Headlines, your go-to source for the week's biggest stories in finance and real estate, distilled into bite-sized insights.

They also discuss:

• How major banks are responding to declining consumer confidence.
• The RBA's acknowledgment of uncertainty in the current economic outlook.
• How recent shifts in policy are impacting first home buyer behaviour.

And much more!

With SMEs in the core industries underpinning the Australian economy under mounting pressure, brokers who can unlock working capital are becoming indispensable.

James Beeson, CEO of invoice finance lender Earlypay, joins In Focus to explain why working capital solutions have become an important funding tool for SMEs looking to stabilise, grow, and navigate an increasingly uncertain environment.

He also outlines how a more holistic funding approach enables brokers to deliver smarter, integrated solutions and how Earlypay has refined its offering in response to broker feedback.

Against a challenging economic backdrop, cash flow has become the defining pressure point – and one that brokers are increasingly at the centre of solving.

Tune in to find out:

• The opportunity for brokers to move beyond transactional lending and become strategic partners to SME clients.
• How working capital solutions can help businesses stabilise, fund growth, and manage volatility.
• What a holistic funding approach looks like in practice.

And much more!

After starting out in asset finance, Ivan David shifted his focus to residential mortgages and hasn't looked back, building a brokerage centred on education and support.

Mentorship has been a defining part of his journey at SLAN Finance, earning him a nomination for Mentor of the Year for Victoria at the Better Business Awards 2026.

David joined In Focus to discuss his approach to mentorship and what it takes to build a brokerage where brokers can prioritise clients rather than back-end administration.

Tune in to find out:

• How strong systems and clear roles enable brokers to scale without losing control.
• The importance of investing in learning and development to stay competitive.
• How the right infrastructure frees brokers to focus on clients and relationships.

And much more!

How can the mortgage industry stay ahead of criminals using AI to forge documents? It's a question becoming increasingly urgent as a new wave of sophisticated fraud hits the Australian lending landscape

Join host Annie Kane, senior journalist Charlie Tchetchenian, and commercial content writer Ben Squires as they review the week's biggest stories in finance and real estate, distilled into bite-sized insights.

This week, the team discusses the move by finance associations to lobby for ATO data integration into open banking as a "single source of truth" to verify borrower income and crush fraudulent applications. They also dive into the recent acquisition, creating Australia's largest deposit bond provider, and how the government thinks it can fix the Compensation Scheme of Last Resort.

This week, they discuss:

• The pros and cons of introducing ATO data in open banking.
• The details of the merger between Deposit Power and Deposit Assure.
• What the proposed Compensation Scheme of Last Resort changes mean.

And much more!

As mortgage brokers look to transition from sole traders to small businesses, many are turning to offshore support to free up their time for high-value client engagement and sustainable growth.

In this episode of In Focus, sponsored by VA Platinum, Annie Kane sits down with Kate Garrett, director of Littlespring Finance, to explore her journey of doubling her business volume through strategic outsourcing.

Together, they discuss the practicalities of embedding a virtual assistant (VA) into a brokerage and the mental clarity that comes with having a trusted support team.

Tune in to learn:

• How utilising full-time offshore support can provide the momentum needed to manage exponential growth.
• Why investing time in initial training is critical for long-term success and trust.
• The impact of outsourcing on a broker's wellbeing during high-capacity periods.

And much more!

The drive away from dealership finance and toward a transparent, client-first model in broking has helped Luke Meisenhelter build an eight-man brokerage that is giving back.

Now the director of Mooloolaba-based Loanright Financial Services, Meisenhelter has successfully navigated the transition from a sole trader earning $30,000 in income to the leader of a successful brokerage that is supporting the local community.

Annie Kane catches up with the Better Business Awards finalist to discuss his recent experience switching aggregators to gain better data control and how he has helped raise $75,000 for charity through community-led business events.

Tune in to find out:

• How he overcame the "dark period" of moving aggregators while building a custom tech stack.
• Why he believes hiring people better than himself was the key to uncapped growth.
• The "give first" philosophy behind his Legacy Lunch that has funded the rescue of 42 children from trafficking.

And much more!

Could the escalating conflict in the Middle East be the catalyst that pushes Australia's cash rate to its highest level in nearly two decades? As fuel security concerns take centre stage, and Treasury officials scramble to rewrite the federal budget, the ripple effects are already being felt across the lending landscape.

In this week's episode of What's Making Headlines podcast, host Annie Kane, commercial content writer Ben Squires, and senior journalist Charlie Tchetchenian review the economic fallout of the conflict, including forecasts that Australia's cash rate could reach GFC levels.

This week, they discuss:

• Why Westpac is forecasting a series of aggressive rate hikes by August.
• The surge in electric vehicle loans as borrowers scramble to bypass the "fuel crunch".
• How the home buyer schemes may be backfiring for the very people they aim to help.

And much more!