With 257 high-achieving finalists revealed across 29 categories, competition for the 16th annual Australian Broking Awards has reached a record high.

But which brokers are among the country's elite residential brokers, commercial brokers, asset finance brokers, and what are the top aggregators doing to succeed in this market?

Hosts Annie Kane and Charlie Tchetchenian detail some of the broker finalists for the Australian Broking Awards 2026 and unpack submission highlights, growth models, and key trends shaping this year's standout contenders ahead of the national awards ceremony on 28 August.

From custom artificial intelligence platforms and workflow automation to proactive rate repricing strategies and content-led client education, this special episode reveals how top performers across regional and metro markets are scaling their businesses while delivering exceptional client care.

Tune in to find out:

• How ABA broker finalists are leveraging technology to boost productivity.
• The proactive repricing and client education strategies driving record-high retention rates.
• What sets the contenders apart in the race for the coveted Broker of the Year title.

And much more!

With inflation target timelines pushed out to 2028, hopes for interest rate reductions any time soon are dwindling – but some lenders are already dropping rates out of cycle.

Join host Annie Kane and senior journalist Charlie Tchetchenian as they examine the biggest stories shaping the finance broking space this week.

This week, they discuss:

• Why the RBA held the cash rate in August and why rate cuts may not be coming any time soon.
• What the latest predictions on house price corrections mean for broker clients.
• CBA's turnaround in broker flows.

And much more!

Featured stories:

• RBA cash rate decision https://www.theadviser.com.au/borrower/48792-rba-reveals-latest-cash-rate-decision-2
• Michele Bullock on potential higher rates https://www.theadviser.com.au/borrower/48795-bullock-flags-quite-possible-path-to-higher-rates
• Equifax softening mortgage demand https://www.theadviser.com.au/borrower/48785-mortgage-slump-spreads-across-every-state-and-age-group
• What the banks have been seeing in flows: Westpac: https://www.theadviser.com.au/lender/48783-mortgage-applications-fall-at-westpac-as-proprietary-share-dips CBA: https://www.theadviser.com.au/lender/48797-cba-broker-flows-rise-as-mortgage-applications-fall ANZ: https://www.theadviser.com.au/lender/48805-anz-applications-slide-as-suncorp-mortgage-book-contracts
• Interesting data from Agile/Cotality on broker communications https://www.theadviser.com.au/broker/48777-many-brokers-still-quiet-between-client-conversations
• Congratulations to ABA finalists https://www.theadviser.com.au/broker/48801-finalists-revealed-for-australian-broking-awards-2026

For mortgage brokers, uncovering new revenue opportunities doesn't always mean finding new clients – it can mean helping existing clients take the next step in their property journey.

Julian Fadini, founder of PRPTY 360, joins In Focus to explore the current investor landscape and why experienced investors are looking beyond the market noise to identify opportunities.

He also unpacks how PRPTY 360 works with mortgage brokers, why long-term relationships and local networks can provide an edge in a crowded market, and how brokers can help clients approach investment decisions with greater clarity and confidence.

Tune in to hear:

• Why experienced investors may be looking to re-enter the market.
• Why data alone isn't enough when assessing property investment opportunities.
• How mortgage brokers can build valuable referral partnerships.

And much more!

After a decade in banking, former BOQ franchisee Nicholas Barker made the leap into broking, starting a brokerage that quickly scaled to a team of five and settled $145 million in its first year.

In this edition of New Broker, host Annie Kane catches up with the founder and mortgage broker at Brokers for Queensland to learn how he hit the ground running, why he offers a fully diversified loan offering, and the operational strategies behind his business growth.

Tune in to find out:

• How he managed to write more than $100 million in his first year of broking.
• The key takeaways and operational lessons behind rapidly scaling a brokerage.
• Why thorough planning is critical when transitioning from banking into broking.

And much more!

History was made this week as HSBC sold its Australian loan book to Blackstone in what is believed to be the largest home loan portfolio transaction globally.

From banks selling their loan books to tax reform clarity, join host Annie Kane, commercial content writer Ben Squires, and senior journalist Charlie Tchetchenian as they review the biggest news in mortgage and finance broking this week. This week, they discuss:

• HSBC's departure from the Australian residential mortgage market.
• Macquarie and RAMS both complete loan book sales.
• The first non-bank joins the 5 per cent Deposit scheme.

And much more!

Featured stories:

• HSBC to sell Australian home loan book to Blackstone

https://www.theadviser.com.au/lender/48741-hsbc-to-sell-australian-home-loan-book-to-blackstone

• Household Capital completes Macquarie reverse mortgage acquisition

https://www.theadviser.com.au/lender/48761-household-capital-seals-macquarie-reverse-mortgage-deal

• Westpac completes RAMS mortgage book sale

https://www.theadviser.com.au/lender/48752-westpac-completes-rams-mortgage-book-sale

• First non-bank joins 5% Deposit Scheme

https://www.theadviser.com.au/lender/48749-first-non-bank-joins-5-deposit-scheme

• Mortgage demand dives as hardship climbs

https://www.theadviser.com.au/borrower/48753-mortgage-demand-dives-as-hardship-climbs

• Complaints hit record highs as banking dominates case load

https://www.theadviser.com.au/compliance/48760-complaints-hit-record-highs-as-finance-dominates-caseload

• Treasury revises tax overhaul after releasing new carve-outs

https://www.theadviser.com.au/broker/48765-treasury-revises-tax-overhaul-after-releasing-new-carve-outs

The opportunity to unlock new revenue doesn't always require finding new clients – sometimes it's about having different conversations with the ones you already have.

Stephen Lew, state manager for NSW and the ACT at SME lender Lumi, joins In Focus to explore how SME lending is set to evolve over the next five years, from the rise of data-driven decision making to the expectation that brokers act as full-service credit advisers.

Lew explores why more SMEs are looking to their broker for broader funding support and explains how Lumi Spark delivers real-time indicative quotes through a soft credit check in under five minutes. He also discusses how brokers can turn existing client relationships into an additional revenue stream without adding complexity to their workflow.

Tune in to hear:

• Why working capital represents a significant revenue opportunity for mortgage brokers.
• How brokers can proactively identify funding opportunities in their existing client base.
• How Lumi Spark helps brokers generate indicative working capital quotes in minutes.

And much more!

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