Elite broker Fabio De Castro currently writes over 400 loans a year and recently doubled his team to expand his brokerage's capacity as it aims to become a fully diversified financial services business.

In this episode of Elite Broker, host Annie Kane brings Simplify Finance director and principal broker Fabio De Castro into the studio to share how he went from being a bank BDM to writing more than $200 million a year in a multidisciplinary financial services business.

Tune in to find out:

• How he writes more than 400 loans a year.
• How he's managing the transition from broker to business owner.
• The importance of strict daily boundaries to manage high volume.

And much more!

Are major banks failing to link offset accounts, leaving thousands of home loan borrowers out of pocket without even knowing it?

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:

• Widespread failures uncovered by ASIC across major lenders' mortgage offset accounts.
• Westpac reversing its cash rate hike forecast following cooler-than-expected CPI data.
• Pepper Money raising its maximum LVR to 98 per cent alongside AMP's launch of a 40-year investor loan.

And much more!

News stories mentioned:

• Banks slammed over offset failures in ASIC probe https://www.theadviser.com.au/compliance/48733-banks-slammed-over-offset-failures-in-asic-probe
• New lender joins Help to Buy scheme https://www.theadviser.com.au/lender/48720-new-lender-joins-help-to-buy-scheme
• Productivity Commission calls for overhaul of housing rules https://www.theadviser.com.au/borrower/48730-productivity-commission-calls-for-overhaul-of-housing-rules
• Westpac scraps double hike call as CPI drops https://www.theadviser.com.au/borrower/48736-westpac-scraps-double-hike-call-as-cpi-drops
• Lending emerges as leading source of Banking Code breaches https://www.theadviser.com.au/lender/48715-lending-emerges-as-leading-source-of-banking-code-breaches
• Pepper unveils sweeping expansion of lending parameters https://www.theadviser.com.au/lender/48726-pepper-unveils-sweeping-expansion-of-lending-parameters
• Bluestone flags major trends reshaping borrowers and credit https://www.theadviser.com.au/lender/48729-bluestone-flags-major-trends-reshaping-borrowers-and-credit
• 40-year investor loan with 10 years of IO launches https://www.theadviser.com.au/growth/48739-40-year-investor-loan-with-10-years-of-io-launches
• Qudos Bank brand to be retired in 2027 https://www.theadviser.com.au/lender/48724-qudos-bank-brand-to-be-retired-in-2027

Can 17 years of banking experience turn a new broker into an overnight success? For MoneyQuest Clayfield broker Matt Glennon, the journey to settling over $80 million in his first year took nearly two decades of building trust, mastering credit, and honing relationships.

Host Annie Kane catches up with the former BOQ owner-manager to discuss his leap into broking, how he structured his business to write 10 to 12 loans a month right out of the gate, and why he immediately outsourced his back office to focus on high-value client conversations.

He also shares how he's building a specialised niche helping self-employed clients resolve ATO tax debt.

Tune in to find out:

• Why and how he leverages BDM relationships to his gain.
• The strategies he uses to convert high-value referral partners.
• Why he chose a franchise model to fast-track growth.

And much more!

What do regulatory compliance, clawback policies, and aggregator shifts have in common? They are all driving major conversations across the Australian mortgage broking landscape right now. Join host Annie Kane and commercial content writer Ben Squires as they break down the biggest news across the finance sector this week and takeaways from the MFAA National Conference in Melbourne.

This week, they discuss:

• What ASIC is looking at in its best interests duty review and warnings about boilerplate documentation.
• How ING's clawback policy update is shifting the conversation around broker commissions.
• Key takeaways from WealthX's inaugural report tracking credit representative movements across major aggregators.

And much more!

News stories mentioned:

• ASIC to release best interests duty report by Q4 https://www.theadviser.com.au/compliance/48707-asic-to-release-best-interests-duty-report-by-q4
• Assistant Treasurer backs brokers as drivers of competition https://www.theadviser.com.au/broker/48705-assistant-treasurer-backs-brokers-as-drivers-of-competition
• Standing still is the biggest threat to broker market share, panel warns https://www.theadviser.com.au/growth/48713-standing-still-is-the-biggest-threat-to-broker-market-share-panel-warns
• New independent report reveals aggregator movements https://www.theadviser.com.au/aggregator/48694-new-independent-report-reveals-aggregator-movements
• Which states are the aggregators attracting brokers from? https://www.theadviser.com.au/aggregator/48697-revealed-the-aggregators-that-are-dominating-in-each-state
• ING confirms major clawback change https://www.theadviser.com.au/lender/48698-ing-confirms-major-clawback-change

With interest rates and household bills taking a heavy toll on everyday Australians, sustainable finance is quickly shifting from a niche choice to a major mainstream opportunity.

In today's episode of In Focus, Annie Kane speaks with Zeb Drummond, chief operating officer of Gateway Bank, about the surging demand for eco-friendly home and car loans and how brokers can position themselves to help clients cut household expenses. Tune in to find out:

• How retrofitting existing properties and choosing green builds can yield long-term savings and preserve house value.
• What differentiates sustainable mortgage products, personal loans, and EV car loans in today's credit market.
• How brokers can effectively start sustainability conversations with clients to drive real value.

And much more!

After buying his own investment properties triggered his love for property, Justin Picker transitioned into broking and now runs a high-volume brokerage settling over $300 million a year.

In this episode of Elite Broker, host Annie Kane speaks with the founder of Picker Financial to trace his journey from sole operator to managing a 20-person team, how his team processes over 1,000 applications in a single financial year, and how he's adapting his business to recent regulatory shifts in SMSF lending.

Tune in to find out:

• How he scaled from writing single-digit loans to settling more than $300 million annually.
• The tech stack and time-blocking strategies he uses to drive efficiencies.
• Why he's transitioning from loan writing to focus on high-level strategy.

And much more!

The frustrating reality of having hard-earned commissions ripped away for reasons entirely out of your control has been the bane of the industry for years, but the fight to make them fairer has come back into the spotlight again.

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

The team looks at the FBAA's recent submission to government flagging how clawbacks might amount to an unfair trading practice, One Nation's proposed 30-year government-backed mortgages, and the latest levy costs from ASIC.

This week, they discuss:

How the FBAA is taking the fight over "unfair and inequitable" lender clawbacks directly to Treasury. Why the MFAA is demanding that home lending be placed at the very front of the government's new digital identity rollout. The looming 17 per cent surge in ASIC levies that is set to hit credit intermediaries and aggregators where it hurts.

And much more!

News stories mentioned:

• Clawbacks under fire as FBAA slams lender tactics

https://www.theadviser.com.au/broker/48678-fbaa-urges-crackdown-on-unfair-lender-practices

• MFAA says lending must sit at heart of verifiable credentials

https://www.theadviser.com.au/broker/48683-mfaa-says-lending-must-sit-at-heart-of-verifiable-credentials

• ASIC levies surge for credit intermediaries

https://www.theadviser.com.au/compliance/48667-asic-levies-surge-for-credit-intermediaries

• One Nation proposes government-backed 30-year fixed mortgages

https://www.theadviser.com.au/borrower/48672-one-nation-proposes-government-30-year-fixed-mortgages

• Non-banks plugged into open banking data grid

https://www.theadviser.com.au/lender/48669-non-banks-plugged-into-open-banking-data-grid

• Westpac locks in major cash rate prediction

https://www.theadviser.com.au/borrower/48662-westpac-locks-in-major-cash-rate-prediction

• Commercial Finance Awards launches for 2026

https://www.theadviser.com.au/broker/48668-commercial-finance-awards-launches-for-2026

With an updated broker strategy underway, Australia's largest mortgage lender is now targeting partnerships with 'high-quality, highly productive' brokers to provide a tailored service to better support their clients. But what does that actually entail?

In this today's episode of In Focus, sponsored by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, host Annie Kane welcomes national broker sales lead Michael Piper to dive into how the major bank is leveraging technology, tiering support, and evolving its lending policies to help brokers navigate increasingly complex borrower scenarios and scale their businesses.

Tune in to find out:

• Why CBA thinks brokers will thrive as client needs become more complex.
• What the bank's three-tiered support system for brokers entails.
• How digitisation is helping brokers proactively manage client portfolios.

And much more!

Disclaimer: Applications for credit are subject to credit approval, satisfactory security, and minimum deposit requirements. Conditions apply to all loan options. Full terms and conditions will be set out in our loan offer if an offer is made. Interest rates are subject to change.

Ditching the salon for the spreadsheet might not seem like a traditional career path, but for Kirsty McKinnon of Flair Finance, it was the stepping stone to building one of regional NSW's most successful brokerages.

Having recently taken home the Editor's Choice Award for NSW/ACT at the Better Business Awards 2026, the Dubbo-based broker has built a high-volume business based entirely on customer comfort and deep community connections.

In this episode of Elite Broker, host Annie Kane sits down with McKinnon to find out how she transitioned from an admin role to running a booming brokerage, why she operates her business from client-friendly cottage, and how she manages a team of five to write nearly a loan a day.

Tune in to find out:

• How she structures a five-person support team, including a dedicated full-time compliance manager.
• Why she bypasses traditional marketing entirely to rely solely on word-of-mouth referrals.
• Her long-term vision to build a true "one-stop shop".

And much more!

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!