The Numbers Game

By Nick Reilly, Jason RobinsonBusiness Entrepreneurship Education Self-Improvement Investing

The Numbers Game episodes

July 26 Should Australia Ditch Super?
Is there a case to ditch super in Australia? A clip doing the rounds by Senator Gerard Rennick says yes, and it turns out the argument is stronger than most people would think. Nick walks through why it stacks up on paper but breaks down in reality, from the fund returns and tax breaks people would give up, to what actually happens to money the second it lands in their pocket.
On this episode, we discuss:
(00:00) Intro
(02:56) The Full 'Scrap Super' Clip Played
(05:48) Why 40% Retire With a Mortgage
(06:50) The $80K Earner's Super Squeeze
(08:12) Why Most People Wouldn't Save the Money
(10:57) What Small Business Debt Says About Habits
(13:29) Why More Retirees Now Live Off Super
(15:36) What KiwiSaver Shows About Voluntary Super
(18:43) How Much Super Funds Actually Return
(20:07) Why Super Taxes You Less Than Investing
(21:24) Why the Wealthy Top Up Their Super
(22:27) How One Couple Saved $90K in Tax
(23:18) What Would Change if Super Went Voluntary
(27:13) Why Super Should Stay Compulsory
Check out the free resources from Inovayt here.
Send us an email: [email protected]
The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt.
Hosts:
Nick Reilly
Jason Robinson
This podcast is produced by VIDPOD.
Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au. Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
30 min
July 19 Pokemon Cards vs Bitcoin, Gold and the ASX | A 25-Year Investment Comparison
Pokemon cards are being treated as a serious investment by some Aussies right now, with collectors sitting on multi-million dollar portfolios. But do the numbers actually stack up as a solid investment? Jase has run the comparison of investing $10k in a vintage Pokemon collection against the ASX, gold and Bitcoin over the last 25 years.
On this episode, we discuss:
(00:00) Intro
(02:26) A Living Room Full Of Pokemon Cards
(04:24) $10K In Pokemon Vs Gold And ASX
(05:31) From $10K To $2.5 Million In Pokemon
(06:56) The 10,000% Charizard Card Return
(08:10) When COVID Sparked The Pokemon Hype
(09:25) Bitcoin's 800% Return Since 2020
(11:11) The 9.7 Billion Card Print Problem
(13:39) When $10K In Modern Pokemon Becomes $3K
(15:23) Logan Paul's $16.5 Million Pokemon Sale
(16:02) The Tax Side Of Pokemon Collectibles
(16:57) The $500 Rule That Saves You Tax
(19:25) Why Pokemon Losses Only Offset Pokemon Gains
(22:15) Why You Should Take Wins And Diversify
Check out the free resources from Inovayt here.
Send us an email: [email protected]
The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt.
Hosts:
Nick Reilly
Jason Robinson
This podcast is produced by VIDPOD.
Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au. Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
24 min
July 12 Buying Commercial Property With Your Super in 2026 | What the Numbers Say
There's a resurgence of Aussies buying commercial property in Self-managed Super Funds. Nick's found a real-world example of a commercial shed in regional Victoria that could generate $133K a year, and he breaks down the numbers of what this would look like as an investment in 2026.
On this episode, we discuss:
(00:00) Intro
(02:45) Inside The SMSF Resurgence
(03:33) When Property Income Falls Short At Retirement
(05:33) How Commercial Property Improves Cash Flow
(07:30) Building A 25-Year Commercial Property Strategy
(08:53) The $1.2 Million Shepparton Shed
(09:42) What 3% Growth Could Look Like
(10:39) How The Loan And Deposit Work for an SMSF
(11:43) $35K a Year Covers the Loan Gap
(15:06) What the Asset Could Look Like in 25 Years
(16:30) Three Tax-Free Options At Retirement
(18:54) Where to Start
Check out the free resources from Inovayt here.
Send us an email: [email protected]
The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt.
Hosts:
Nick Reilly
Jason Robinson
This podcast is produced by VIDPOD.
Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au. Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
22 min
July 05 The Most Expensive Day in Aussie Small Business History
1 July might be the most expensive day in Australian small business history. Jase has done the maths on a 10-person business and the cost is around $50,000 extra a year on the basics alone. If you're employing people in Australia, this is hitting you now, and he's mapped out a game plan to tackle it.
On this episode, we discuss:
(00:00) Intro
(00:26) The Most Expensive Day In Small Business History
(00:56) Everything Hitting Small Business On 1 July
(03:03) Why 33,500 Businesses Disappeared
(04:35) The Card Surcharge Ban Hitting 1 October
(06:22) The Fuel And Wage Hit Of 1 July
(07:36) How Payday Super Killed Quarterly Cash Flow
(09:59) Why Power Bills Just Jumped 22.5%
(13:19) The $50,000 Hit On 10 Staff
(14:27) The Bendel Case Explained
(19:03) The 30% Trust Tax Coming In 2028
(25:22) Why Selling Assets Just Got More Taxing
(27:17) Why Foreign Investors Pay Less Tax Than You
(29:11) Jase's 7-Step Game Plan
Check out the free resources from Inovayt here.
Send us an email: [email protected]
The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt.
Hosts:
Nick Reilly
Jason Robinson
This podcast is produced by VIDPOD.
Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au. Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
33 min
June 28 What Real Budget Reform for Young Australians Would Actually Look Like
The 2026 Budget was pitched as a fix for intergenerational unfairness. Nick's fired up and reckons none of it adds up, especially if you're a young Australian trying to get ahead. But you can't just criticise without bringing a solution, and he's got a few of his own.
On this episode, we discuss:
(00:00) Intro
(01:17) The 2026 Budget's Reform Pitch and Where It Misses Young Australians
(02:29) Bracket Creep and the 47% Tax Rate That Hits Young High Earners
(05:35) The $1,000 ATO Deduction Is Less Than Most Australians Already Claim
(06:29) The HELP Debt Indexation Problem That Costs Australians Thousands Every Year
(08:55) Removing Negative Gearing on Existing Homes Won't Free Up Housing Supply
(11:24) Rents Are Set to Rise as Negative Gearing Shifts to New Builds Only
(11:55) CGT Changes Hit Startup Founders Hardest, Not Property Investors
(14:00) The Property Marketers Set to Profit From the Negative Gearing Reforms
(16:47) Cutting Income Tax and Lifting GST, the Real Reform Trade-Off
(18:31) Top 10 Postcodes by Taxable Income from Portsea to Mossman
(21:25) Australia's GST Has Been Stuck at 10% Since 2000
(25:30) One Nation's Rise and What It Says About Voter Frustration
Check out the free resources from Inovayt here.
Send us an email: [email protected]
The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt.
Hosts:
Nick Reilly
Jason Robinson
This podcast is produced by VIDPOD.
Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au. Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
27 min
June 21 The Business of Gift Cards | Why Most Get the Accounting Wrong
Australians waste $1.9 billion a year on gift cards they never use, and there's a whole business model built around hoping you don't show up. If your business sells gift cards, there's a good chance the accounting is wrong. It's one of the most common mistakes Jase sees with his clients, and this episode gets into how the accounting should actually work so you're not paying tax before you need to.
On this episode, we discuss:

(00:00) Intro
(00:24) How Endota Spa's Gift Card Numbers Went Viral
(03:43) $1.9 Billion in Unused Gift Cards Per Year in Australia
(05:23) How Gift Cards Became 40% of Endota Spa's Revenue
(05:59) How Endota Earns $13.5M From Gift Cards No One Uses
(07:07) Why Gift Card Sales Aren't Revenue on Your Books
(08:52) The 3-Year ACCC Expiry and When to Recognise Revenue
(10:50) What the Endota Sale Means for the Incoming Buyer
(12:46) Swap Platforms That Turn Unused Gift Cards Into Cash
(14:58) Gifta and How to Make Sure Gift Cards Actually Get Used
(19:27) Why Gift Cards in Your Digital Wallet Actually Get Used
(21:23) Employee Gift Cards and Fringe Benefits Tax
(23:01) Game Over
Check out the free resources from Inovayt here.
Send us an email: [email protected]
The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt.
Hosts:
Nick Reilly
Jason Robinson
This podcast is produced by VIDPOD.
Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au. Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
24 min
June 14 How to Know If Your Skills Transfer in an AI World
Over 9,000 Australian jobs have gone to AI this year and we're now second in the world for tech displacement. Nick reckons you don't need to be a tech expert to stay relevant. Your existing skills transfer to roles AI can't replace, you just need to know which ones and where. He's put together a 6-step playbook that walks you through assessing your own exposure, identifying what transfers, and making a move before your employer makes one for you.
On this episode, we discuss:

(00:00) Intro
(00:19) AI Is Here and Jobs Are Changing in Australia
(05:18) WiseTech, Telstra, Atlassian and 9,238 AI Job Losses
(06:16) 1.3 Million Australians Changing Roles by 2030
(07:48) Why a Telemarketer Could Become an Account Manager
(11:02) Which Jobs AI Can and Can't Do: 0.3% to 80%
(13:06) How an Accounting Firm Is Rolling Out AI to Its Team
(15:24) $10 Million Revenue with 30 Staff Instead of 50
(16:26) Why AI-Forward Companies Create More Opportunity
(18:48) Capacity Is Why Clients Leave Their Accountant
(21:01) Nick's 6-Step Playbook for Protecting Your Career
(24:18) Don't Wait for Your Employer to Act
(25:28) The Flywheel Effect When Teams Share AI Wins
Check out the free resources from Inovayt here.
Send us an email: [email protected]
The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt.
Hosts:
Nick Reilly
Jason Robinson
This podcast is produced by VIDPOD.
Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au. Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
29 min
June 07 Victoria Owes $199 Billion | What It Means for Your Business
Victoria's $199 billion in debt, and if you're running a small business in this state, you're the one wearing it. Taxes keep climbing, businesses are going under at record rates, and the COVID levy that was sold as temporary isn't going anywhere. Jase has done the numbers on where the money went and what it means for Victorian business owners heading into end of financial year.
On this episode, we discuss:

(00:00) Intro
(00:43) Victoria's $199 Billion State Debt
(02:40) $1 Million a Day for 55 Years to Reach $199 Billion
(03:53) What $199 Billion Could Have Built for Victoria
(06:25) $43 Billion in Tax and Most of It Goes to Interest
(07:23) How the Debt Hits Small Business Through Extra Taxes
(09:09) Is Government Debt Really Good Debt
(10:56) Real Margins at $1M, $5M and $10M Turnover
(14:35) Victorian Insolvencies Up 48% and Projected to Rise 63%
(15:31) Public Sector Staff Up 60% on 29% Population Growth
(17:40) 18% CBD Vacancy and 16,000 People Leaving Victoria
(19:21) How to Work Out What You'll Owe Victoria This Year
(21:24) Review Your Business Structure Before 30 June
(22:50) Director Penalty Notices and When to Get Help
Check out the free resources from Inovayt here.
Send us an email: [email protected]
The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt.
Hosts:
Nick Reilly
Jason Robinson
This podcast is produced by VIDPOD.
Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au. Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
27 min
May 31 The Bank of Mum and Dad: A Financial Disaster Waiting to Happen?
The bank of mum and dad is now Australia's fifth largest lender, with $35 billion a year flowing from parents to kids trying to get into property. Most of it completely undocumented and with no plan for how it comes back. Nick's seen it go wrong firsthand, and this is what both sides need to hear before any money changes hands.
On this episode, we discuss:
(00:00) Intro
(00:42) Australia's 5th Largest Lender Is the Bank of Mum and Dad
(04:29) $35 Billion a Year and 60% of First Homeowners Need Family Help
(05:58) Why Borrowing From Parents Has Zero Regulation
(07:34) What Can Go Wrong When Family Money Is Involved
(09:27) Why You Need a Loan Agreement Before Money Changes Hands
(10:41) Do Your Parents Need This Money to Retire?
(11:41) How Guarantor Loans Work and Why Parents Can't Sell
(14:26) How Going Guarantor Could Cost Your Parents $200,000 in Super
(17:44) A Real Divorce Case Where $100,000 Had No Paperwork
(18:33) Parents Should Ask the Same Questions a Bank Would
(21:58) How Gifts and Loans Can Impact Your Parents' Pension
(24:33) When Reverse Mortgages Make Sense and When They Don't
(26:44) Would You Do It? Nick's Answer as a Dad
Check out the free resources from Inovayt here.
Send us an email: [email protected]
The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt.
Hosts:
Nick Reilly
Jason Robinson
This podcast is produced by VIDPOD.
Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au. Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
30 min
May 24 The $1,000 ATO Tax Deduction Explained | Should You Tick the Box?
The ATO is rolling out an automatic $1,000 tax deduction for millions of Australians, and it sounds like free money until you understand how deductions actually work. Jase has run the maths on what that $1,000 really puts back in your pocket at every tax bracket. Is this just another nice sell from the government, or is the box actually worth ticking?
On this episode, we discuss:
(00:00) Intro
(00:21) The $1,000 Auto Tax Deduction Explained
(00:57) Why a Tax Deduction Isn't a Tax Refund
(04:09) What You Actually Get Back at Each Tax Bracket
(05:29) The 70c Per Hour Work From Home Claim
(07:25) Why the Average Aussie Claims $3,500
(08:31) Should the Deduction Be a Sliding Scale?
(11:34) Easy Ways to Track Receipts and Kilometres
(14:27) Why UK Workers Don't Lodge Tax Returns
(16:08) When the $1,000 Deduction Starts
(17:03) Super Contribution Cap Rising to $32.5K
(19:51) Will the $20K Instant Asset Write-Off Stay?
(20:54) Book Your Accountant Before 30 June
Check out the free resources from Inovayt here.
Send us an email: [email protected]
The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt.
Hosts:
Nick Reilly
Jason Robinson
This podcast is produced by VIDPOD.
Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au. Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
23 min

About The Numbers Game

From the publisher's feed

The Numbers Game — It’s finance, investment and business but not as you know it. Each week Jason Robinson (CPA Accountant), Nick Reilly (Planner) come together to bring you strategy and advice around…