The Adviser Podcast Network

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!

After a life-altering accident required Katherine Looke to leave her corporate job, she thrived under the flexibility of mortgage and finance broking and now specialises in working with essential services workers. In this episode of New Broker, host Annie Kane chats to the First Look Finance founder about her first 18 months in the industry and how she's building her broking business for future growth through diversification and deep community networking.

Tune in to find out:

• The unique challenges of writing loans for essential services personnel.
• How she manages her growing workflow.
• Why she's diversifying into commercial finance.

And much more!

This week marked the start of a new era for the Finance Brokers Association of Australia (FBAA), with the association appointing its first new CEO in 20 years, alongside a new chair. By bringing in external talent for both leadership roles, the FBAA has signalled a fresh new direction. But what do these appointments mean for the body and its 14,000 members? In this episode of What's Making Headlines, The Adviser commercial content writer Ben Squires is joined by Broker Daily senior journalist Julian Barnes to discuss the latest leadership changes at one of Australia's leading broker associations.

They also discuss:

• How brokerages are underutilising AI by not using it as a strategic thinking partner.
• The latest educational resources being launched to support brokers.
• A wave of new technology hitting the market, including Pepper Money's application tracker and Aussie's new app.

And much more!

Rising interest rates and tightening servicing requirements have left many borrowers feeling that traditional home loans are out of reach. As mainstream banks tighten their policies, a new era of specialist lending is moving into the mainstream through non-bank lenders, such as Brighten.

Jason Azzopardi, CEO of non-bank lender Brighten, joins In Focus to discuss how brokers can rescue borrowers left stranded by traditional bank policies. With more Australians managing multiple income streams, trust structures, and side businesses, the traditional one-size-fits-all approach to lending is breaking down.

Joining host Annie Kane, Azzopardi highlights how Brighten's broad product suite - encompassing full-doc, alt-doc, non-resident, construction and bridging finance as well as commercial lending, SMSF loans, and reverse mortgages - allows brokers to secure higher borrowing capacities and faster execution.

Tune in to find out:

• What is driving the rapid growth of the non-bank sector.
• Why products like SMSF lending, trust borrowing, bridging finance, and commercial construction are surging.
• Top tips for submitting scenarios to credit teams to guarantee a fast "yes" or "no".

And much more!

The Western Australian property market is undergoing an unprecedented squeeze, but one broker has unlocked the secret to turning record-low supply into rapid business growth.

Max Miorada of Momentum Wealth made the move from construction to broking six years ago and this year claimed the Editor's Choice Award for Western Australia at the Better Business Awards 2026 in recognition of his relentless commitment to client service and sophisticated property investment advice. In this episode of Elite Broker, host Annie Kane speaks with the Western Australia-based broker to uncover how he writes more than 200 loans a year, how he's using artificial intelligence to drastically slash data entry times, and why he believes the traditional nine-to-five mentality won't cut it for brokers aiming for the top tier. Tune in to find out:

• How he leverages AI agents to improve productivity.
• Why he favours 'organised flexibility' over time blocking.
• His blueprint for building an elite broker career.

And much more!

A former broker was charged this week with alleged involvement in the Penthouse Syndicate's mortgage fraud ring.

The Adviser senior journalist Charlie Tchetchenian and commercial content writer Ben Squires uncover the latest in the mortgage fraud investigation and the ongoing work being done to stamp out criminal activity.

The duo also review the fallout from the incoming negative gearing and CGT changes, looking at which lenders are moving quickly to strip negative gearing benefits from their serviceability calculators, and new dramatic projections warning of a sharp drop in investor activity.

This week, they discuss:

• The major NSW Police update on the "Penthouse Syndicate" mortgage fraud investigation, which has seen a Sydney broker and bank manager arrested over tens of millions of dollars in fraudulent loans.
• How major lenders – including NAB, ANZ, Macquarie, and Suncorp – are rapidly updating their serviceability calculators to eliminate negative gearing benefits for established properties following the federal budget announcements.
• The federal court ordering Westpac to pay a $26 million penalty for repeatedly failing to properly process borrower hardship requests over a six-year period.

And much more!

The end of the financial year presents a prime opportunity for brokers to move from reactive, single-product lending to more connected solutions for SME clients.

Reid Davidson, state lead for Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania at commercial lender Lumi, joins In Focus to discuss how brokers can support SMEs as they actively seek to connect the dots between working capital, asset finance, and property.

He discusses the growing expectation for brokers to operate as "full-capital advisers"; explains the structural and process challenges that can make it difficult to deliver joined-up solutions in practice; and highlights how tools, like Lumi Pulse, are designed to streamline quoting and execution, so brokers can maintain momentum during peak EOFY activity.

Tune in to find out:

• The impact of increased volatility on structural pressures facing SMEs.
• Why EOFY is prompting SMEs to take a more strategic approach to funding.
• How brokers can deliver faster, more connected capital solutions.

And much more!

Can joining an existing brokerage keep new brokers from becoming just another statistic? With roughly one in two mortgage brokers failing to make it past their first 18 months, finding the right operational support and mentorship is often the thin line between a short-lived career and elite success.

In this episode of the New Broker podcast, host Annie Kane welcomes Bernard Desmond, founder of Blank Financial, alongside his first new-to-industry broker, Rex Francis.

The childhood friends share how they are transitioning a 35-year personal bond into a high-performing business partnership, the exact back-office structures required to fast-track a new broker's career, and why keeping brokers out of data entry is the key to scaling volumes nationwide.

Tune in to find out:

• The exact back-office framework that frees up brokers to focus purely on prospecting.
• How a retainer and credit-debit model can help ease early cash flow pressures for new starters.
• Their top strategies for building bulletproof referral partnerships.

And much more! Related article:

• How this broker chose his aggregator

Changes flowing from the federal budget are already making their way into lending policy, with Macquarie Bank becoming the first lender to remove most negative gearing add-backs from its serviceability calculators for investment loans.

The move follows the federal government's decision to restrict negative gearing to new builds, and brokers are now weighing up what it means for investor clients.

On this episode of What's Making Headlines, The Adviser's editor Annie Kane, senior journalist Charlie Tchetchenian, and commercial content writer Ben Squires unpack the early fallout from the federal budget and what it signals for the market ahead.

They also unpack the latest RBA minutes and what new unemployment data means for the rate outlook, with one major bank already adjusting its near-term forecast.

This week, they discuss:

• A new note to brokers from major lender Westpac.
• New figures revealing a sharp lift in first home buyer inquiries from younger cohorts.
• What brokers can expect from New Broker Academy 2026.

And much more!