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02 Editorial
Brokers’ time to shine in a tougher market
04 Statistics
When housing defies gravity
06 Opinion
Rethink lending solutions to give retirees certainty, says Sean O’Malley
30 Man on a mission
Customer-owned banks are deepening their broker relationships to support a human-centric agenda
William Lockett takes SFG’s high-touch aggregation model on the road
Competitive pricing no longer makes up for weak service –brokers are choosing banks for credit policy, turnaround times and BDM support
BIG INTERVIEW
34 Bridging, reinvented
From niche product to mainstream, Bridgit is reshaping bridging finance
38 Investing in brokers
CommBank sharpens broker support with speed, consistency and smarter tech
Paul Wells and Ryan Harkness reveal big growth plans as the non-bank brings in the big-data cavalry
58 Lending lifeline
Macquarie Bank’s Wendy Brown reflects on the success of a loudly and proudly pro-broker lender
When banks hold back, specialist lenders keep creditworthy Aussies afloat
78 Brokerage insight
Ten-year journey transforms XIN Mortgage into a tech-powered leading brokerage
80 Other life
Ex-NZ Air Force engineer brings problem-solving discipline to broking
Australia’s most promising young brokers are shaking things up
Our daily newsletter. Keep on top of property market trends, business strategy, and what industry leaders have to say.
The major appeal of using a mortgage broker is simple: they’re there to secure the best possible deal on a home loan, not just push the product of a single lender.
Instead of being stuck with whatever limited options one lender chooses to o er, borrowers get access to the full spectrum of products across the home loan market. A broker, acting as a trusted expert, can then guide them through this dizzying range of choices and narrow them down to a carefully selected shortlist of loans that genuinely suit their needs.
There’s no better time to step up to the plate and validate this USP than now.
The reaction to the Reserve Bank of Australia’s decision in February to increase the cash rate by 25 basis points to 3.85% came as little surprise, with all major lenders moving swiftly to pass on the higher costs of funds to customers. (If only savings account rates were increased with the same fervour.)
While not all analysts expected the RBA to lift rates, the outlook for the rest of the year is even less predictable. Amid this uncertainty, borrowers will be looking to their brokers for guidance more than ever.
In many ways, brokers are the great equalising force of the mortgage finance world, beholden not to brand but to the best interests of the customer
Issues like the ‘lender loyalty tax’ will become more prevalent, while shifting lender policies mean borrowers may find their current policy is not fit for purpose a month or two down the line. Brokers will play a critical role in navigating these unclear waters.
In many ways, brokers are the great equalising force of the mortgage finance world, beholden not to brand but to the best interests of the customer (it’s even enshrined into law under the best interests duty).
With their 360-degree view of the mortgage market, brokers are uniquely positioned to call out which banks are leading the pack on BDM support, turnaround times, technology and commission structures. We’ve captured their views in this issue’s Brokers on Banks survey, which you can read on page 12.
Some results may not surprise you – hint: the overall winner dons a black-and-white logo – although there were also some eye-catching shifts in the rankings.
In this edition’s Customer-owned Banks Roundtable, our guest brokers didn’t hold back in grilling panellists on how they’re competing for broker attention in an increasingly cut-throat lending landscape. You can dive into that discussion on page 42.
See you again in May!
William Farrington, editor, MPA
MARCH 2026
EDITORIAL
Contributor Sean O’Malley
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National median days on market
561,000
Estimated number of residential sales in 2025
Four decades of Cotality data show Australia’s housing market often surging when theory says it shouldn’t – from 31% growth in 1988, with interest rates near 15%, to a 24.5% jump during the 2021 pandemic –highlighting how policy, credit and shocks can outweigh rate moves.
7.2% Increase in sales versus the five-year average $71,360
Rental a ordability has worsened markedly since 2019, with a typical dual income household now directing around 21% of its pay towards rent. Domain data shows households need from roughly $100,500 in Hobart up to about $135,200 in Sydney to lease a median home without stress, with houses generally requiring higher incomes than units.
Keyword searches on realestate.com.au show ‘swimming pool’ remains Australians’ top musthave, followed by ‘garage’ and ‘air conditioning’. With record heat, high car ownership rates and busy lifestyles, buyers are clearly prioritising leisure, secure parking and modern conveniences like ensuites, built-ins and dishwashers.
TOP KEYWORD SEARCHES OF 2025 ON REALESTATE.COM.AU
Source: PropTrack, January 2026
Cotality finds that homes eligible for the 5% Deposit Scheme rose 3.6% in the December quarter versus 2.4% above the eligibility cap. Cotality’s Tim Lawless says the expanded 5% guarantee has “sharpened demand at lower price points” as buyers target properties that qualify for the scheme.
A KPMG analysis shows Gen X households now hold the most property and share wealth, with $1.455 million in dwellings and $235,000 in shares on average, while baby boomers remain richest overall at $2.38 million net worth on average as they shift into cash and super ahead of intergenerational transfers.
As more Australians enter retirement with mortgages in place, banks must prioritise certainty in modern lending, argues AMP Bank’s Sean O’Malley
FOR DECADES, the typical Australian mortgage journey followed a familiar arc: take on debt early, steadily pay it down through your working life and enter retirement owning your home outright. That model shaped not only consumer expectations but the way banks designed products, assessed risk and defined what ‘good lending’ looked like. It also shaped banking regulation. Those assumptions are starting to break down.
More Australians are approaching retirement with mortgages still in place. This isn’t
Australians are being encouraged to work longer and think differently about retirement income, it makes little sense for lending solutions to remain anchored in assumptions from a di erent era.
This is where banks and regulators need to pause and reflect. If our customers’ circumstances are changing, our products, assessment frameworks and definitions of suitability must evolve. The challenge is not to loosen standards or compromise on security but to design lending solutions that genuinely align with how Australians now live, work and retire.
Certainty has become one of the most underappreciated features of modern lending
a temporary cycle driven by interest rates or housing prices. It’s a structural shift driven by higher property values and a cost of living environment that has reshaped household cash flow decisions.
This ongoing shift is forcing more retirees to think differently. They have worked hard, built equity, accumulated super and planned responsibly, yet will increasingly need to choose between maintaining their lifestyle today or rushing to extinguish debt at the expense of flexibility and confidence. In an environment where
Brokers see this first-hand. They sit at the intersection of aspiration, affordability and practicality, helping customers navigate decisions that span decades. Increasingly, for older Australians it will be less about racing to zero debt and more about certainty, flexibility and control. Customers want to know that what is promised at the start of a loan will hold through different life stages, that assessment processes are clear and that structures allow them to manage cash flow without constant renegotiation.
Certainty has become one of the most underappreciated features of modern lending. In a volatile economic environment, the ability to plan with confidence matters as much as price. This is particularly true for customers approaching retirement, when income profiles change, bu ers matter more and surprises can have outsized consequences. Lending solutions that provide longer-term visibility on repayments, with appropriate guardrails, can play an important role in supporting better outcomes without increasing systemic risk.
This absolutely does not mean every customer should carry debt indefinitely or that homeownership goals have disappeared. It means recognising that there is no longer a single ‘right’ pathway and that responsible lending can take di erent forms, depending on the customer’s broader financial position, assets and plans. For asset-rich, cash flow-conscious customers, particularly those transitioning into retirement, flexibility can be a feature of security, not a threat to it.
The most important shift for the mortgage industry is not cyclical but structural. Australia is entering an era in which retirement, work and housing are far more fluid than they once were. Banks that recognise this and adapt thoughtfully will be better placed to support customers with confidence and resilience. Those that don’t take this approach risk forcing modern lives into outdated frameworks.
The opportunity is clear. By rethinking how we design and deliver lending solutions, while maintaining strong governance and responsible standards, the industry can help Australians navigate later life with greater confidence rather than compromise. That is not just good banking. It is the right response to the world our customers are increasingly living in.
Sean O’Malley was
group executive at AMP Bank in September 2021. He has been with the bank since May 2013. GOT AN OPINION THAT COUNTS? Email william.farrington@keymedia.com
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ORDE Financial managing directors Paul Wells and Ryan Harkness reveal big growth plans as the non-bank lender brings in the big-data cavalry
ORDE FINANCIAL, one of the greatest recent success stories in Australia’s non-bank lender scene, has teamed up with renowned demographer and social commentator Bernard Salt on one of the most comprehensive pieces of market research tailored to mortgage brokers in recent memory.
Titled Outlook Australia, it provides a thorough insight into the shifting identities and emerging needs of Australian borrowers.
The research is broad in scope, bringing together a diversity of sources – from Australian Bureau of Statistics census and labour force data to building approvals and population projections – to develop a comprehensive understanding of where Australia’s lending landscape is heading next.
This is a substantial undertaking, no doubt, but also one that fits squarely with ORDE’s simple but evocative ‘Built for Broker’ tagline. Because building something requires a bedrock of knowledge, this project simply represents another step in ORDE’s three-word promise.
“Brokers aren’t just writing loans. They’re problem-solvers supporting clients through major opportunities, decisions and change,” says ORDE’s CEO and co-managing director Paul Wells. “This research puts real data behind those conversations.”
Outlook Australia shines a light on some of the strongest-growing borrower segments in the country, including tradie business owners, professionals in high-growth industries,
migrant communities, and millennials looking to upgrade into family homes.
The research shows that more and more borrowers are sitting outside the traditional lending moulds. Australia’s tradie workforce, for instance, has surged to an estimated 1.97 million, with around 374,000 operating
where borrower needs are heading, and ORDE is positioning our capabilities to help brokers capture these opportunities,” says ORDE’s chief operating o cer and co-managing director Ryan Harkness.
“The big demographic groups shaping demand are only getting bigger,” he adds.
“Brokers aren’t just writing loans. They’re problem-solvers supporting clients through major opportunities, decisions and change”
Paul Wells, ORDE Financial
as business owner-managers. “This shift is rapidly expanding the pool of borrowers with non-standard income structures, driving demand for lenders who can assess real-life financial situations,” says Wells.
More people are also relying on multiple income streams, whether by running side hustles or having flexible working arrangements. These clients, says Wells, “rely on brokers more than ever, because the mainstream processes don’t make their lives easy”.
He adds, “By giving brokers a sharper view of who’s growing, where and why, we help them turn insight into opportunity. Clearer client conversations. Better outcomes.”
So, how does ORDE intend to practically implement this wealth of knowledge?
“The research gives us a clear roadmap for
“That means more clients with variable incomes, side or new businesses, seasonal cash flow or evolving work patterns. These are the kinds of opportunities brokers are built for – and the ones ORDE is here to help them capture.”
Bernard Salt’s research shows that between 2022 and 2025, Melbourne’s west, Sydney’s southwest and Queensland’s southeast were among the regions recording the most growth in commercial and industrial approvals.
These are regions where SMEs are starting up, families are moving to and major projects are concentrated, “which is exactly why ORDE is aligning our BDM and broker support to these corridors”, says Harkness.
Likewise, commercial and industrial investment has jumped sharply in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
These growth hotspots “aren’t just construction zones or pockets of development; they’re future hubs of small business, trades, employment and community”, says Harkness.
“Brokers targeting these regions will see more clients wanting to grow their businesses, buy equipment, take on new contracts, invest in property, or structure their wealth more e ectively. That’s where the trusted adviser
influential feature of the borrower landscape.
More than 30% of the Australian population is born overseas, and for those looking to buy property, brokers are often their first trusted point of contact, Harkness explains. “They explain the system, translate the options and give confidence where everything feels unfamiliar.
“Our job is to keep lending pathways open, flexible and respectful. Not every borrower has decades of local documentation, but that doesn’t make them any less capable. We want
“Not every borrower has decades of local documentation, but that doesn’t make them any less capable”
Ryan Harkness, ORDE Financial
role shines: brokers help clients understand what’s possible, not just what’s available.
“ORDE aims to back brokers in these corridors with flexible, property-backed [SME] solutions and real scenario support. So when, say, a tradie wants to upgrade to a larger workshop, fit out new premises, purchase additional equipment using equity, or a small business owner needs cash out to take on work linked to nearby infrastructure projects, we want brokers to feel confident that ORDE can help make it happen.”
The research also shows that Australians are shifting towards high-skilled and careeconomy work, with notable growth across aged and disability care, nursing and software and app programming.
“For brokers, that means more clients with strong earning potential but non-traditional income profiles,” says Harkness.
“Understanding those patterns – and having lenders who understand them too – is crucial to supporting the modern borrower with clarity and confidence.”
The Outlook Australia report highlights how cultural diversity is becoming an increasingly
brokers to know ORDE sees the strength and potential in these communities.”
One of the fundamental findings of Outlook Australia was just how universal the goals of Australians both young and old are: homeownership, stability, family life and opportunity.
“These values cut across age, culture and background,” says Wells. “This is why brokers matter so much. Behind every application is a story and an aspiration, and brokers help make sense of it, turning those ambitions into something real with clarity and respect.”
The release of Outlook Australia comes more than five years after ORDE burst onto the non-bank lender scene. It’s hardly a newcomer any more, with $10 billion worth of settled loans under its belt, supporting more than 16,000 borrowers – all entirely sourced through the broker channel. But Wells believes there is still more work to be done.
“A core tenet of our culture definitely retains and leverages the ‘new kid on the block’ mindset,” he says, “because that drives our broker-focused culture and singular commitment to service, responsiveness, adaptability and team motivation. It’s very hard to redirect
All deals written through broker channel
>6,500 accredited brokers
180+ team members
Diverse and exible product range for every borrower pro le, including residential, commercial, construction and SMSF solutions
or shift established lending cultures that lack this kind of energy and drive.
“And, in market, we definitely remain the new kid on the block for most brokers. We only recently passed the point that more than half of Australian brokers have access to ORDE.
For many brokers we work with every day, we are still a new lender in their experience.”
Now, ORDE intends to build its presence in the growth regions highlighted in Bernard Salt’s research. 2026 “is about turning insight into action”, says Harkness, “especially for brokers working with, or wanting to grow, self-employed and SME clients – a huge growth opportunity for broker pipelines”.
To learn more about ORDE’s Outlook Australia, visit orde.com.au.
Broker ratings show banks winning favour by getting the basics right, with credit policy, speed and BDM support outweighing price amid growing service and channel challenges
SERVICE DELIVERY has leapfrogged price as the determining factor brokers use to judge the banks competing for their business.
Credit policy, BDM support and turnaround times lead broker priorities, and competitive pricing alone no longer makes up for weak service or channel strain. That priority order has remained intact across 2025 and 2026.
MPA’s Brokers on Banks 2026 is based on broker evaluations across 10 performance benchmarks and identifies the products and practices associated with top-performing banks. The data indicates a more experienced, higher-volume broker cohort who rely less on purely residential lending and serve a wider spectrum of client needs.
Credit policy is no longer just the topranked factor; it’s the gatekeeper. Banks are operating within tighter assessment constraints, including a three-percentage-
point serviceability bu er along with limits on high debt-to-income lending that narrow approval flexibility. Brokers now judge banks first on whether deals can be approved under consistent, predictable rules. As one broker put it succinctly: “Speed, simplicity, good policy.”
Competition for distribution has intensified. Former FBAA managing director Peter White (who stepped down in February), says, “All the broking sector asks is that banks support customer choice, and we know that around threequarters of borrowers choose to use a mortgage broker. Banks simply have to accept the choices of Australian consumers and work with brokers, not against us. Everyone wins this way.”
Brokers accounted for 77.3% of all new residential lending in the September 2025 quarter, MFAA data shows, even as banks invest in proprietary channels. This dynamic is intensifying concern around
channel conflict and uneven treatment, prompting closer evaluation of how banks engage with brokers.
Service delivery is under watch. Speed remains a top-three priority, yet turnaround times continue to draw criticism as approval pathways vary widely.
Digital platforms and product range retain influence beyond the top tier, both scoring above four. Commissions, communications and diversification rank lowest for brokers.
Leading banks are emerging as standouts through predictable approvals, responsive broker support, and credit frameworks that accommodate a wide range of borrower profiles. One broker described these lenders simply as “reliable and easy to use”.
Australia’s brokers have stripped decisions back to mechanics. MPA’s findings identify the banks delivering on those fundamentals.
Writes $10m–$20m and $60m+ worth of mortgages each year
Aged 46 and over Is most likely to live in Victoria
Years as a broker
Brokerage
Has been in the industry for > 15 years
by nance type What do brokers want from banks?
As brokers place greater weight on dependable approvals, credit policy remains the top-ranked priority, with pricing and product range trailing
AFTER CLIMBING dramatically from fifth place in brokers’ priority list in 2024 to first in 2025, credit policy retained the highestscoring spot again this year. Respondents were blunt: “Rigid policies kill deals.”
Over one in three brokers cited credit policy when asked why they had given more business to a particular bank, making it the most frequently named driver of lender preference.
The banks that are winning broker business consistently:
• assess a deal sensibly
• apply policy predictably
• back brokers with strong BDMs
• make fast decisions
Bankwest again topped the credit policy rankings, reflecting broker confidence in its approval consistency, with a hat-trick of wins since 2024. Macquarie Bank retained second place, reinforcing that consistent policy remains central to broker loyalty.
As the only big four bank with medals in four categories, CommBank placed third in credit policy as well as communications, training and development. It earned second-
place finishes for online platform and services and diversification opportunities.
TM Finance Group director and finance broker Kylie Donelly says banks are accommodating modern buyers through government schemes, but she sees a gap appearing between policy and credit appetite. “My role today is ensuring that regional clients in Gippsland get the ‘new customer’ benefits they deserve, regardless of how long they’ve been with their bank,” Donelly says.
Interest rates remain important to brokers but are no longer the key factor in their lender
selection. After dropping from first in 2024 to fourth in 2025, rates were ranked in the same position in 2026, with a strong score of 4.4/5.
LendX director and senior finance broker Amelia Pignone says, “All other things being equal, such as rates and features, if some lenders are harder to deal with than others, we favour the ones that deliver outcomes for our clients more easily, especially when they are far faster to approval.”
Brokers were more upbeat in 2026 than last year about products and pricing. Those who felt things had worsened fell from about one in six to one in 10, while those reporting improvements were up by more than a third. Yet most still see little real change, suggesting gradual refinement rather than structural change.
ING continued its reign at the top, with brokers calling it out for consistently competitive interest rates and products and quick assessments. Macquarie Bank retained second place, while NAB-owned Ubank took third and matched that position in turnaround times.
Product range slipped to sixth with a score above four. Brokers are no longer rewarding breadth for its own sake. The focus has shifted to whether banks can deliver on the products that drive client outcomes. Macquarie Bank again leads this category, followed by Bankwest and Westpac, reflecting a preference for depth and usability over sheer range.
Macquarie finished first overall for the fifth consecutive year, with broker satisfaction rising to 4.137/5. Except for diversification opportunities, the top-rated bank continued its first-
place winning streak in turnaround times, online platform and services, product range and brand trust. It saw first-place gains in BDM support and communications, training and development, and retained second place in commissions, credit policy and interest rates.
Diversification opportunities again ranked lowest in this year’s survey. NAB leads, ahead of CommBank and Westpac, but brokers view these o erings as optional. Cross-selling capability is welcomed, but not at the expense of core lending performance.
Trust, commissions and broker support are edging forward as markers of which banks brokers believe are playing fair
BROKER SUPPORT categories still trail policy, speed and credit decision quality, yet the 2026 results show they now play a more defined role in lender selection.
Brand trust retained seventh place for a second year, with a modest score increase. That improvement coincides with growing concern about channel behaviour, signalling greater sensitivity to fairness and transparency.
As Peter White says, “We must remember that the clients of brokers are also clients of
the lenders, so it’s not a competition. Banks benefit when they support the broker channel rather than work against it.”
Broker feedback reveals that trust is judged through experience – highlighting the need for consistent policy, effective escalation when files become complex, and respect for the broker’s role.
“For me, it’s about the simple things,” says LendX’s Amelia Pignone. “When a client submits a discharge, and we get a call or email from the retention team letting us
know, that’s a major comfort and an obvious sign that helping our business also helps their business.”
Commission structure shows a similar pattern. Still a lower-ranked priority, it has moved ahead of communications and training in 2026. Broker comments point to a practical mindset. Payment consistency and reliability matter, as uncertainty around clawbacks or changing terms can erode confidence in lenders.
Communications, training and develop-
HAVE YOU GIVEN MORE BUSINESS TO A PARTICULAR BANK IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS, AND IF SO, WHY?
“ANZ, based on their turnaround times, credit policies and BDM support”
“Macquarie, but I’ve been consciously trying to spread business to a broader range of lenders”
“NAB, because of its business banking support”
“Macquarie, because it has invested a lot into their broker channel”
“Westpac, due to great rates and turnaround times”
“Yes, ING, as their pricing has been excellent”
“NAB and CBA for their policies that fit the self-employed”
“Bankwest – local contact points and positive feedback for customer-facing technology”
“Bankwest is more suitable for investors, which are the dominant segment in my business”
“I have given more loans to Macquarie and ING due to their competitive variable rates and quick assessment time frames”
“No, it’s an even spread amongst a variety of lenders”
ment have slipped back one place. Brokers value updates, guidance and access to relevant education, but only when these complement strong lending performance.
Diversification opportunities remain at the bottom of the priority list, viewed as optional extras rather than reasons to redirect volume.
Broker commentary reinforces the same theme across these categories. Lenders that invest in their broker channel, provide accessible support and make transactions easy are remembered positively. Ease of use, reliable processes and human support when issues arise all feed into how brokers assess trust and long-term fit.
“No, I generally spread my lending depending on customer type and requirements”
When brokers explain why they would give more business to a particular lender, they consistently point to a mix of the following fundamentals:
• “Turnaround times and credit policy”
• “BDM support and great rates”
• “Reliable and easy to use”
Macquarie Bank stands out for its speed and credit policy, winning volume because brokers trust the lender to deliver when time is tight.
Westpac is recognised for its workable policy and reliability, pairing competitive pricing with dependable execution. ANZ
attracts business through policy nuances and relationship-led support.
In 2026, the brand trust podium remains unchanged, with Macquarie Bank retaining first place, followed by ING and Bankwest in second and third.
Commission structure delivered a familiar result: Bankwest again led for the fifth consecutive year, with Macquarie Bank in second. NAB debuted in third place.
In the communications, training and development category, positions continue to rotate at the top. Macquarie Bank reclaimed first place in 2026, Bankwest followed in second, and CommBank maintained its long-held third position.
As turnaround times come under strain, brokers are backing lenders that o er strong relationship support and systems that keep files moving
BROKERS INCREASINGLY view BDM support and turnaround times as safeguards that determine whether delays will be resolved or deals lost. In 2026, both categories hold elevated positions from last year.
BDM support remains second overall, retaining the position it reached in 2025 after jumping from fourth the year before. What began as a push for better relationships is essential for internal advocacy. LendX’s Amelia Pignone says, “A strong relationship with the BDM is a major driver for us. When a BDM changes lenders, a lot of the business follows.”
Brokers describe direct support as crucial when files become complex. Strong BDMs are valued for their authority to escalate issues and interpret policy.
Macquarie Bank moves into first place in 2026, ending a three-year run at the top for Bankwest, which slipped to second while ING retained third.
Turnaround times moved up three spots to third place in 2025 and stayed there in 2026, but sentiment has turned. Expectations are higher, tolerance lower and delays more acute.
Compared with last year, broker sentiment on turnaround times has shifted materially.
The share reporting deterioration rose from 6.67% in 2025 to 27.84% in 2026, while reports of improvement fell by approximately 20 percentage points.
A widening gap between reliance on speed and confidence in delivery is increasingly influencing lender choice and exit decisions.
Broker feedback shows that disengagement often follows recurring breakdowns across BDM support, process and delivery.
Brokers consistently link reduced volume to weakening relationship support. Changes in personnel, slower responses or limited authority often expose lenders’ deeper
service problems. Where advocacy disappears, confidence follows.
What brokers notice first are:
• hando s between BDMs that break continuity on live files
• no single point of ownership when a deal goes o track
Extended approval timelines, inconsistent SLAs and slow post-approval handling prompt brokers to redirect business, particularly when other channels appear to move faster.
Patience runs out when:
• pre-approvals are expiring before they can be used
• post-approval and settlement teams are working out of sync
Brokers distinguish between systems that streamline work and those that complicate it. In 2026, technology earns credit only when it shortens decision cycles and improves visibility. Brokers note that these issues are not confined to individual lenders but reflect uneven execution across the sector, particularly where policy and systems are misaligned.
Parker Finance mortgage and finance broker David Philipsen says, “The banks, in general, are good to work with. Ideally, it would be helpful if they implemented federal government policy more consistently. In addition, some are lagging on technology, making
their application-to-settlement process too time-consuming.”
Common failure points are:
• portals that are unstable or di cult to navigate
• assessment outcomes that vary by assessor
• digital steps that increase e ort without improving speed
Several brokers reduced volume because performance became unpredictable. When reliability fades, brokers move on.
Macquarie Bank again topped turnaround times in 2026, with Bankwest moving up to second place. Ubank debuted in the third spot, reflecting satisfaction with a model emphasising e ciency and online delivery.
Online platform and services hold fifth place for a second year. Brokers point to tangible e ciency gains from better portals, faster document upload, automated compliance checks and wider use of AVMs. Tools such as Quickli, ApplyOnline, DocuSign, Digital ID and NextGenID were frequently cited, alongside systems that surface client data and reduce rework.
Here, execution again matters more than novelty. Macquarie Bank leads online platform and services for the second year, followed by CommBank and Bankwest. Brokers highlighted clean portals, local decisioning, systems supporting faster assessment, and some lenders’ incremental process improvements (eg in valuations and digital submissions).
IS THERE A PARTICULAR TECHNOLOGICAL IMPROVEMENT THAT HAS IMPROVED TURNAROUND TIMES?
“The introduction of updated broker platforms and improved digital submission portals has significantly enhanced e ciency. These platforms allow for quicker document upload and automated compliance checks, reducing the time from application to approval”
“More use of automated valuations”
“Macquarie’s AI assessment for PAYG – 45-minute approvals”
“CBA’s CommVal platform is sensational”
“No, more complexity has slowed things down”
“N/A. Turnaround times with most lenders have worsened”
“No, everything is fine. The only reason SLAs have extended is because of the scheme, and I’d deem them in line with the market”
Brokers expect volatility and adapt quickly but are raising concerns about fairness, transparency and market conduct
BROKERS ARE calm about the rate environment, with about half describing it as part of a normal cycle. Many say rate moves generate client conversations, and enquiries continue regardless of settings.
For many brokers, stability has shifted attention from price to lender performance. That optimism coincides with an RBA-easing cycle that began in early 2025, trimming the cash rate from 4.10% to 3.85%, where it held into early 2026. Brokers’ concerns focus instead on reduced borrowing capacity, a ordability constraints and the risk that rates stay higher for longer than clients expect.
The most highly rated banks show longterm commitment to the channel, supporting brokers with settings and service that keep clients moving forward.
In 2026, concern about channel conflict intensified. The share describing it as a major problem rose from approximately one in three last year to nearly half, while those dismissing it as no problem now represent a small minority.
One broker reported that clients calling to discharge a mortgage are advised to visit a branch to access a better rate. “Additionally, clients may be eligible for a cashback rebate if they complete the process in-branch. This
creates a channel conflict, as the optimal outcome for the client depends on the method of engagement rather than the product itself.”
Broker feedback indicates this reflects firsthand experience. Direct contact with broker clients, pricing available only through proprietary channels, and approvals perceived to di er by channel were a recurring complaint. While a minority downplay the issue, the tone has shifted from tolerance to scepticism, shaping lender choice. As banks push to grow proprietary channels in a broker-led market, brokers reward those that resist undercutting partners and compete on service, policy and consistency.
Whisky Wednesday:
“Rates will increase, but that should drive more people to look for options, so I see things improving. I’m hoping the refinancing specials will return, as they’re really missing at the moment. Loans written 18 to 24 months ago, or older, are hard to refinance because their rates are below what we can o er now”
5 x VISA gift cards:
• “There appears to be a never-ending trail of finance enquiries for all sorts of purposes, so I have no worries about the present rate environment. I expect minimal impact on my business, as there is always a regular flow of client enquiries”
• “Not worried, but I do expect rates to rise, which will lead to more conversations with clients about preparing for the next 24 to 36 months”
•“Not worried. Rate markets always work in cycles. I’m expecting a relatively stable 2026, with property market activity driven by lack of supply rather than cheap money”
• “If living costs and inflation remain high, interest rates will have to rise, which will slow the property market and, in turn, reduce demand for home and investment loans”
• “Assessment rates have a huge impact on clients’ borrowing capacity. A 3% bu er made sense when rates were low, but with higher rates, it needs to come down. Business volumes vary month to month, and with few further cuts expected, 2026 is likely to be a hard year, volume-wise”
“Very erratic. When interest rates come down, say, 0.25%, the lenders immediately review and increase the living expenses”
“Fair and reasonable”
“They have increased with rate cuts, meaning the benefit of the cuts are being o set by HEM”
“Generally, I’ve found no significant di erence over the past 12 months. In fact, some lenders are slightly decreasing the assessed minimum living expenses, reflecting updated benchmarks and more tailored assessment approaches”
“It’s pretty similar across the board”
“A little more detailed scrutiny compared to the previous 12 months”
“Neutral. Most of the banks use HEM matrix for living expenses verification”
“It’s become much simpler over the last 12 months. Before, some banks would question many individual items in the statements. Now, most will not do this as long as the declared expenses are reasonable”
“Ridiculously out of touch for self-employed clients”
“They tend to follow HEM, which is very user-friendly”
It’s changing all the time, but that’s a reflection of the cost of living crisis we’re in”
“No real change, although I’ve always taken care to query this myself in detail in initial meetings with a client”
“By o ering better discounts and creating some new, innovative products”
“If pricing is at least 0.6% cheaper than a standard product, that would make it more attractive”
“The extra rules to achieve these loans are not worth the very tiny discount”
“I’ve yet to see any o er genuinely easy to qualify for. Not convinced it’s the banks making it hard. Government regulations are still too complex”
“Not really a motivating factor for most applicants; they are rate- and price-driven”
HAVE YOU STOPPED USING A BANK IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS AND, IF SO, WHY?
“I’ve stopped using a couple of banks because they’ve moved too much assessment work o shore. The credit teams barely understand their own policy, and communication is poor”
“I’ve stopped using one major lender because I simply don’t trust them in the broker space and feel they o er zero real BDM support”
“I’ve pulled back from a few banks that have simply fallen too far out of line on rates”
“I’ve stopped using some brands because their platforms are clunky and hard to navigate, making it ine cient to submit and manage applications”
“No, things are good”
“I’ve moved away from a bank that revoked my accreditation for not meeting volume requirements”
“No, not stopped but slowing on one lender”
“I’ve largely walked away from one institution after they refused to pay a commission they owed me”
“Not intentionally, but one lender is just rarely at the top of my list”
MPA names the top performers in the 2026 Brokers on Banks survey, outlining where they led the market and why brokers preferred them
Macquarie Bank marks its fifth consecutive year as the overall first-place winner in the Brokers on Banks survey, underpinned by a performance that brokers describe as “dependable”. The major mid-tier lender competing nationally with Australia’s big four collected nine medals in 2026, comprised of six golds and three silvers. First-place finishes spanned product range, brand trust, online platform and services, turnaround times, BDM support, and communications, training and development.
It also placed second for credit policy, interest rates and commission structure. Overall broker satisfaction rose again to 4.137 out of 5, continuing an upward trend.
Turnaround time remains the clearest di erentiator, with brokers citing fast assessment and short approval windows as the reasons why Macquarie Bank is the default choice when timing is tight. One broker summed up why they gave more business to the leading lender: “24-hour approvals, great product and the best online banking”. That strength carries through to systems and trust, with top rankings in online platform and services and brand trust, and brokers characterising the experience as reliable and easy to use.
Brokers describe its credit policy as workable and predictable, supporting consistent outcomes – reflected in a second-place ranking in 2026. BDM support was another clear strength, with brokers praising the bank’s escalation pathways and internal authority. One said, “If there are time constraints, it is often too easy to recommend Macquarie.”
Macquarie Bank’s O set Home Loan again topped brokers’ product rankings, and it remains the preferred lender for property investors.
“Macquarie Bank stands out for sustained investment in the broker channel and internal systems ... Under tight timelines, brokers trust it to get deals through”
To generate the overall survey results, MPA took an average of the results across each category. Each category had an equal weighting in the final result.
Position in 2025: 2nd
Position in 2024: 2nd
One of only two banks to score above 3.8, finishing within 0.3 points of the overall leader, Bankwest again secured second place. The result reflects consistent performance across multiple categories.
Bankwest retained first place for credit policy and commission structure, reinforcing its long-held reputation for settings brokers understand and can work within. Its policy is seen as flexible but predictable, particularly around income treatment, giving brokers confidence to place deals without second-guessing outcomes.
Bankwest strengthened its showing on service and delivery, placing second for both product range and turnaround times. Its silver medal for BDM support and communications, training and development points to sustained investment in broker engagement.
Brand trust remained in third position, as did online platform and services, with brokers citing straightforward portals and usable customer-facing technology. Bankwest’s Complete Variable Home Loan again earned top product recognition, and the bank remains a preferred lender for foreign non-residents and property investors.
Position in 2025: 3rd
Position in 2024: 5th
Digital bank ING finished just over a quarter of a point behind second place, consolidating its position among the survey’s top tier. After holding third overall for two consecutive years, it remains a consistent presence at the top end of the rankings.
ING again led the field on interest rates, reinforcing its reputation as a rate-led lender that brokers describe as consistently competitive. It’s also one of brokers’ preferred banks for property investors. Turnaround times are regularly described as quick and dependable, allowing competitive rates to convert into approvals without delay, even though it narrowly missed the podium this year.
Brand trust remains another pillar, with ING retaining second place. It placed third again for BDM support, with brokers characterising the bank’s team as solid and reliable.
ING is often mentioned alongside another lender, most commonly Macquarie Bank, reflecting its role as a complementary option. Brokers turn to ING when pricing matters most, confident it will deliver e cient outcomes and follow through on what it o ers.
Position
One of only two big four banks to place in the top five, Westpac continued its upward momentum in 2026, finishing fourth overall. The result reflects improving broker satisfaction year-on-year.
Westpac held third place for both diversification opportunities and product range. Brokers again named it among their preferred banks for first home buyers and foreign non-residents.
Broker feedback consistently frames Westpac as a dependable, balanced option. Competitive rates are frequently cited alongside workable credit policy, solid turnaround times, reliable processing and easy-to-use systems. While it’s not positioned as the fastest lender in the market, brokers describe confidence that deals will progress as expected. Several refer to Westpac as a “best all-round bank”, reflecting trust in its ability to deliver across the basics without surprises.
Position in 2025: 7th
Position in 2024: 7th
As the second big four bank to land inside the top five, NAB recorded a clear year-on-year improvement in broker satisfaction.
The stronger result is underpinned by NAB’s first podium appearances. It placed first for diversification opportunities and third for commission structure, reflecting its appeal beyond standard lending. Broker feedback consistently positions NAB as a business and commercial lender of choice. It is cited for its business banking support and for handling more complex or self-employed borrowers. Credit teams that can work through non-standard scenarios, supported by access to assessors and responsive BDMs, garner broker praise.
Brokers also named NAB one of their preferred banks for first home buyers, property investors and commercial lending.
In addition to rating banks in 10 categories, brokers identified the mortgage products that stood out over the past 12 months. These are the top three
Macquarie Bank’s O set Home Loan Package again topped brokers’ product picks, reflecting consistent confidence in its structure and delivery.
Brokers point to competitive rates, multiple o set accounts and a straightforward fee structure as core attractions.
The product is widely described as easy to lodge and simple to quote, supported by digital tools that reduce rework and keep applications moving. Speed of assessment is frequently mentioned alongside workable policy and responsive credit support, reinforcing its appeal across a wide range of client scenarios.
These features position the product as a reliable, flexible option that brokers return to when clients value e ciency, transparency and o set functionality.
Suncorp Bank’s Back to Basics Home Loan placed third in brokers’ top product picks, recognised for its simple, low-cost structure and competitive approach.
Brokers describe it as cheap, simple and easy to understand, highlighting its appeal for borrowers who prioritise straightforward pricing and minimal fees.
Bankwest’s Complete Variable Home Loan secured second place in brokers’ product picks, recognised for competitive pricing and straightforward features.
Brokers point to flexible o set options as a key drawcard, with multiple o set accounts available either through the Complete Home Loan Package or as optional add-ons for a monthly fee.
The product’s appeal is reinforced by an app and online platform brokers describe as easy to use and intuitive for clients. Positioned as uncomplicated and dependable, it delivers practical functionality without unnecessary complexity.
For brokers, the product’s strength lies in covering the essentials well, combining usable digital tools, accessible o set features and pricing that holds up across everyday lending scenarios.
The loan o ers a low variable rate with no ongoing account-keeping or annual package fees, and supports extra repayments and redraw options as needed.
Its streamlined design makes it easy for brokers to discuss with clients and positions the product as a reliable choice for standard lending scenarios, without the added features of o set accounts or packaged add-ons.
Macquarie Bank’s head of broker sales Wendy Brown discusses being brokers’ bank of choice, five years and counting
IT’S ALMOST routine now. Macquarie Bank, the fifth-largest and fastest-growing major Australian bank, has swept up the awards in MPA’s Brokers on Banks 2026 survey, taking home gold in six of 10 categories, making it the undisputed preferred bank of brokers for the fifth year running.
Brokers voted Macquarie Bank number one for BDM support; brand trust; communications, training and development; online platform and services; product range; and turnaround times. It also took home silver for commission structure, credit policy and interest rates.
But routine or not, Macquarie’s head of broker sales Wendy Brown is no less flattered by the 2026 survey results. “It’s incredibly rewarding to look back on Macquarie’s journey in the broker space and see our significant growth and evolution,” she tells MPA
“We believe in the power of the broker channel and recognise the invaluable role they play for customers, which is why brokers are central to our home loan distribution strategy.
“We are loudly and proudly pro-broker as we truly believe that brokers deliver choice and exceptional value to the customer, and that customer value is what drives sustainable growth. And with nearly four out of five customers choosing a broker to guide them through the home loan process, we think Australians are voting with their feet.”
All in on brokers
With almost all Macquarie home loans written through brokers, the bank has placed
its eggs in the broker basket as much as – if not more than – any other mainstream lender in Australia.
As a testament to this unapologetically broker-centric growth strategy, Macquarie Bank doubled down in 2025 with its national ‘Built for brokers, loved by customers’ billboard campaign.
It’s clearly working. Macquarie now represents nearly 7% of the Australian home lending market, accounting for 21% of total home loan market growth in the past year,
lenge the status quo to deliver better outcomes for brokers and their customers,” she says.
Changing the game through better tech
Substantial investments in digital technology, which have seen Macquarie become a market leader in turnaround times (some applications are processed in as little as 13 minutes) are the bedrock of the bank’s broker-first growth strategy.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to look back on Macquarie’s journey in the broker space and see our significant growth and evolution”
eclipsing its larger big four competitors by multiple factors.
Macquarie Bank’s total household lending rocketed to about $164 billion for the first time in December 2025, marking a 2.4% increase in just a single month.
It currently captures around 14–15% of the entire broker market. That level is notably higher with some aggregators in certain Australian states.
Brown is confident that Macquarie has the building blocks to increase those numbers even further.
“This success reflects the ongoing work and tenacity of our teams, our approach and our willingness to be brave enough to chal-
“Technology has been instrumental in helping us to streamline so much of the home loan application process, and we’re incredibly proud of how far we’ve come,” says Brown.
“Our commitment to investing in our platform has helped us to not only consistently deliver but also improve our marketleading turnaround times even as we’ve continued to grow, a point we know brokers truly value.”
Round-the-clock support, including outside of traditional business hours, is “a really exciting area” for Macquarie Bank. While self-service capabilities are already in place, smarter digital tools and of course
Name: Wendy Brown
Title: Head of broker sales
Company: Macquarie Bank
Years in the industry: 25 Brokers on Banks 2026 wins: Gold for BDM support; brand trust; communications, training and development; online platform and services; product range; turnaround times. Silver for commission structure; credit policy; interest rates
“We believe in the power of the broker channel and recognise the invaluable role they play for customers, which is why brokers are central to our home loan distribution strategy”
Increasing round-the-service support alongside self-service capabilities
AI will go a long way to achieving this goal.
There’s more to come, says Brown. “We’re digital-first, so we’ll continue to make significant investments in our platform and the technology that underpins it, ensuring our industry-leading turnaround times remain consistent.
“Our next big digital investments are focused on continuously enhancing the tools and platforms that support our broker partners. I’m particularly excited about the work our teams are progressing to extend the capability of our very first customer-facing AI agent, Q, to service brokers.”
Q has been “a real game changer for our customers”, says Brown. “We think it has the potential to revolutionise how brokers work too, increasing their efficiency and simplifying their day-to-day tasks so that they can focus on what matters most – their customers.”
Without the national brick-and-mortar presence of its competitors, Macquarie Bank’s digital investments are an act of necessity as much as anything else. But while Macquarie is not visible on the high street, its sprawling network of accredited brokers is vast, covering more than 1,200 postcodes across metro, regional and remote areas.
“Delivering a consistent experience, no matter where our brokers are located, is a key priority for us,” says Brown.
She highlights the pivotal role of business development managers in achieving that goal, noting that the bank has invested
significantly in resources and training, having expanded its BDM team by about 20% in recent times.
“We are very intentional about ensuring that all of our broker partners receive dedicated BDM support with specialised regional knowledge, so that they have a consistent point of contact who understands their local market,” Brown says.
Having led Macquarie’s broker channel for seven years and counting, and with the bank winning MPA’s Brokers on Banks survey five years on the trot, Brown is expecting even bigger things to come.
“For me personally, I’m most looking forward to delving even deeper into how we leverage our technology to continuously refine and improve the experiences for brokers and their customers,” says Brown.
This includes enhancing the Macquarie Bank Broker Portal, which is a one-stop digital hub that’s been designed to speed up turnaround times and reduce follow-ups for brokers.
“We want to continue challenging the boundaries of what’s possible in digital lending, ensuring Macquarie remains at the forefront of innovation,” says Brown. “And, of course, continuing to nurture and grow our invaluable relationships within the broker community.
“There’s always more to learn and achieve, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for 2026.”
Market leader in turnaround times
20% growth in business development management team
21% of total home loan market growth in past year
Broker network spanning 1,200 postcodes
Whether on the road or over the phone, SFG’s managing
brokers where it matters most
A job you love, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life – so goes the saying.
Like all great idioms, it might not be totally true, but William Lockett has it pretty close.
As managing director of mortgage aggregator Specialist Finance Group (SFG), Lockett is constantly in travel mode, touring the length and breadth of Australia doing what he does best – connecting with SFG members.
For Lockett, getting out there and meeting the brokers that make up the SFG community, working closely with them on business strategy, operational improvements and identifying opportunities for growth, is simply part of SFG’s DNA.
“With SFG continuing to grow its national footprint, I’m generally on the road every couple of weeks,” says Lockett. “I’ve always believed that nothing replaces being present and in a room with our people.
“Taking the time to sit down face-to-face with our SFG team, members and business partners gives me a clear and honest understanding of what they’re experiencing – the opportunities in front of them and the challenges they may be working through.”
Even when he’s not on the road, Lockett says his mantra is to call a minimum of three different SFG members every day.
“It’s simply part of how I operate. Nothing replaces a genuine phone conversation when it comes to understanding how people are going, what support they need and how we can help them grow.
“Engagement is a crucial element of any strong business relationship, not only when
things are going well but also when important issues must be addressed, and differing opinions are best navigated together.”
When MPA caught up with Lockett to discuss the latest goings-on at SFG, he was still buzzing about what was evidently a knock-out 2025 for the company.
The rollout of SFG’s next-generation CRM platform, SFGconnect 2.0, hit full swing in the last quarter and “witnessing first-hand how much it has helped our SFG members stream-
and calibre of speakers and being able to bring our community together at such an iconic venue made it one of our most successful conferences to date,” says Lockett.
The inaugural SFG National Business Leaders Retreat held at Mount Lofty Estate in the Adelaide Hills, meanwhile, “provided the perfect environment for high-level strategy, collaboration and long-form leadership discussions”.
And yes, after the retreat, Lockett and his wife, Ann-Maree, managed to sneak in a few days in the Barossa before enjoying a road
“Across the board, I feel we have the strongest and most committed team we’ve ever had”
line their processes” was a major highlight for Lockett.
SFG’s calendar of events was second to none, chief among them the star-studded SFG National Conference, held at the hallowed Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). None other than Aussie cricket icon Glen McGrath featured on the guest speakers list, alongside athlete and motivational speaker Nedd Brockmann and 2019 Australian of the Year winner Dr Richard Harris, whose contribution to the 2018 Thailand cave rescue made him a global hero.
“Hosting our National Conference at the SCG was incredibly special. The energy, scale
trip along the Great Ocean Road, with pitstops at Robe and Torquay along the way.
SFG also expanded its SFGEmpowher women’s initiative, “which has become an incredibly important part of our culture”.
Teamwise, SFG added two new faces to its management team – Sarah Bowater and Jane Eastick. “Across the board, I feel we have the strongest and most committed team we’ve ever had,” Lockett says.
To be honest, Lockett could go on about SFG’s 2025 milestones, but regardless of the high-profile events, technology upgrades and member initiatives, he says, “the essence of our mission hasn’t changed”.
Name: William Lockett
Title: Managing director
Company: Specialist Finance Group (SFG)
Highlights of 2025:
• Initial rollout of SFGconnect 2.0
• Inaugural SFG National Business Leaders Retreat
• Expansion of SFGEmpowher women’s initiative
That mission being? “To provide a genuinely high-touch, relationship-driven aggregation model that empowers brokers through trust, communication, strong partnerships and exceptional service, helping them grow personally and professionally.”
But what has changed is the scale at which SFG is delivering it.
Lockett says, “Our commitment to service, communication and partnership remains the same, but the tools, technology and resources we’re investing in continue to expand to meet the needs of our SFG members.”
“Our role is to provide clarity, strong communication, practical tools and real support. We work closely with our SFG members on business strategy, diversification, operational efficiency and client management – areas that become even more important when market conditions tighten.
“We also provide regular market updates, ongoing training, lender access and one-onone guidance. When brokers feel supported and well informed, they’re better positioned to help their clients and to grow sustainably, regardless of what the market is doing.”
“Nothing replaces a genuine phone conversation when it comes to understanding how people are going, what support they need and how we can help them grow”
Thriving in uncertain times Lockett beams with pride over the culture the team has built at SFG. “Seeing our team collaborate, innovate and support our members at such a high level is incredibly rewarding,” he says.
But this member commitment that Lockett espouses is set to be battle-tested as 2026 rolls on. The broking industry has entered a period of uncertainty, with no one able to agree on what direction interest rates are heading in, house prices appearing to cool off a bit, clawbacks and payroll tax issues still causing headaches across the broking community, and certain lenders tightening their risk appetites. All the while, more and more brokers are entering the market on a daily basis, creating an unprecedented degree of competition.
How does SFG intend to help its members navigate these challenges?
“In times of uncertainty, brokers need an aggregator that is steady, present and engaged. That’s exactly where SFG thrives,” says Lockett.
Following a bumper 2025, 2026 is shaping up to be yet another big one. “We can already feel the momentum,” says Lockett.
First and foremost is the final rollout of SFGconnect2.0 to every single SFG member.
And following its enormous success in 2025, the SFG National Business Leaders Retreat at Mount Lofty Estate is set to return on an even bigger scale.
“We’re also introducing a brand-new broker-focused retreat in Hobart, designed specifically to support broker growth, strategy and long-term business planning,” Lockett reveals.
He adds, “Another major milestone is our first-ever SFGEmpowher Retreat, which will bring together women in finance from across Australia to collaborate, learn and connect on a deeper level.
“Our SFG National Conference will return with the wow factor we are renowned for, and we will continue to host our state-based High Achievers Dinners and professional development events across the country.”
First-ever SFGEmpowher Retreat
National Business Leaders Retreat: Round 2
As for 2026 travel plans? Business as usual, by the sound of it.
“Most of my travel plans in 2026 will be for work, and Ann-Maree and I often add a couple of extra days wherever we are so we can spend quality time together.
“We’re planning to return to the Barossa after our National Business Leaders Retreat this year – it was one of our favourite trips last year. And of course, July is reserved for my annual Broome trip with my daughters, which is something I look forward to every year.”
However, while Lockett’s travel itinerary is naturally packed, he’s really a homebody at heart.
“I love being around the house with Ann-Maree, our five children and our two dogs, going for a morning swim and coffee at Cottesloe beach every morning and enjoying family time without the pressures of work,” he says.
Since launching in 2021, Bridgit has helped make bridging finance fit for the purposes of the modern Aussie borrower
SINCE COMING to market in 2021, Bridgit has cemented itself as one of the leading alternative lenders in Australia.
The group’s meteoric rise has coincided with a notable shift in sentiment towards bridging finance – from niche product to mainstream financing option.
Today, the perception of bridging as a risky, complex product has well and truly changed. Customers both young and old are instead seeing it as a strategic tool for them to access the equity they’ve successfully built over time. They’re using it to manage complex settlement conditions, fund opportunities ahead of sale and create flexibility where rigid funding structures fall short.
“Bridging finance has become more normalised because it now better reflects how people actually transact in today’s property market,” says Bridgit’s chief commercial o cer, Stephen Doyle. “Australians are asset rich but cash poor. This is true for a large demographic of Australians, not just retirees, and the demand to access and use their property equity is growing.”
Bridgit had the foresight to see a looming swell in demand for bridging finance, but it also knew the existing products o ered by the traditional lenders weren’t going to cut the mustard. Approval timelines were painfully long, and strict policies meant that many deserving clients simply couldn’t get through the front door.
“We entered the market with a clear view that bridging finance needed to focus on speed, transparency and technology,” says Doyle. “At the time, bridging was poorly understood, inconsistently delivered and often treated as a niche or last-resort product. We saw an opportunity to modernise the experience and design a solution that actually matched how brokers and borrowers operate.”
Doyle highlights the central role brokers have played in bringing bridging finance to the mainstream. “As brokers become more confident explaining how bridging finance works, and borrowers experience it as a
“As transaction timelines lengthened and traditional bank processes slowed, brokers needed a partner who could help their clients move forward by unlocking equity – quickly, transparently and without compromising on outcomes. We stayed focused on that need, and the market evolved with us” Stephen Doyle, Bridgit
seamless, transparent solution, bridging finance naturally becomes a more mainstream part of the mortgage conversation. This is the journey we have been on for the last four years since Bridgit launched to market,” he says.
Since opening shop in 2021, Bridgit has also seen a dramatic shift in the types of clients seeking out bridging finance options.
While bridging finance is often associated with upsizers and downsizers, “its value extends well beyond those scenarios”, says Doyle. “Bridgit’s products are designed to
help homeowners unlock equity to solve real-world timing and liquidity challenges, whether driven by life events or changing market conditions that don’t align with traditional bank processes.”
The group hasn’t been watching from the sidelines. Instead, Bridgit has been proactively updating its product range to better suit these shifting demographics.
Take Bridgit’s first-to-market 24-month loan terms, which were specifically designed to accommodate longer sales cycles. Or its tech-led approach to reducing approval
times and simplifying the whole process for brokers and borrowers.
As a non-bank lender, the group is able to accept broader client use cases, while implementing structures “that better reflect how clients actually transact and how they want to use the equity in their home”.
“As a result, brokers can confidently introduce bridging finance earlier in the process because they have a product that suits their client’s position, not as a last-minute fix but as a proactive way to unlock equity and manage timing risk with confidence,” Doyle says.
Bridgit has also put its money where its mouth is by reducing the set-up fee from 0.79% to 0.6% on its 12-month bridging product, and 1.15% to 0.95% on its 24-month loan term. It has extended its LVRs to 85% and, to the applause of brokers everywhere, has introduced automated valuation models and desktop valuations on specific loans, which will go a long way to providing clarity of outcome in the transaction process.
Quite a far cry from the straightforward ‘buy-before-sell’ scenarios that Bridgit was predominantly focusing on when it started making waves back in 2021, although the mission statement remains the same.
“Ultimately, Bridgit’s position has been built by solving a persistent market problem,” Doyle explains. “As transaction timelines lengthened and traditional bank processes slowed, brokers needed a partner who could
help their clients move forward by unlocking equity – quickly, transparently and without compromising on outcomes. We stayed focused on that need, and the market evolved with us.”
At its core, Bridgit’s product suite is tailored towards unlocking wealth for clients. As Doyle says, “Clients can buy now and sell later, fund renovations, relocate, or manage events such as separations or estate
tions on your loans, and digital applications that take less than 10 minutes to complete.
A key focus for the group is strengthening its business development manager and broker-support model, “ensuring brokers have hands-on expertise, responsiveness and guidance at every stage of the deal”.
Doyle adds, “Importantly, we’re working more closely than ever with brokers to
“We entered the market with a clear view that bridging finance needed to focus on speed, transparency and technology”
Stephen
Doyle, Bridgit
settlements without rushed sales or compromised outcomes. In a market where traditional transactions take longer, bridging gives homeowners and brokers a confident, flexible way to move forward.”
As 2026 kicks into gear, Bridgit is sharpening its broker-first strategy.
“Bridgit will continue to deepen its broker partnerships by … continuing to provide market-leading support and delivering faster, technology-enabled bridging solutions,” says Doyle.
These solutions include one-click applications from scenarios, automatic notifica-
refine and develop solutions that reflect how they and their clients actually transact. This partnership is central to how we innovate, ensuring new features, policies and processes genuinely improve simplicity and confidence for brokers.
“Ultimately, our focus in 2026 is on continuing to expand access for Australians to do more with their property assets and to have the right, timely access to unlock equity when they need it most.
“By combining strong broker support, smart technology and flexible products, Bridgit aims to remain a trusted partner helping brokers unlock better outcomes for their clients.”
PARENTS WATCHING children at the beach are well aware that (aside from a shark alert) one of the more dangerous times to swim is when the tide is turning.
The same principle applies to interest rates. With the recent cash rate increase marking a shift in monetary policy direction, customers should be paying closer attention to how interest rates and cost of living pressures may affect their homebuying or refinancing decisions. But are they?
In this environment, brokers play an important role in helping customers read the
currents, feel more confident in the water and plan for everything from unexpected eddies to the odd rogue wave.
From a sector perspective, one of the key challenges ahead is to manage increasing complexity while continuing to deliver clear, timely and consistent experiences for customers. As customer needs become more diverse in line with the new direction of monetary policy, simplifying processes, improving transparency and setting realistic expectations will be critical to maintaining trust throughout the lending journey.
At the same time, many of these conditions create strong opportunities for growth. As customers seek greater reassurance and personalised guidance, brokers are well placed to build deeper, long-term relationships with them by understanding individual circumstances and supporting customers beyond a single transaction.
“For lenders, the opportunity lies in enabling brokers with the right tools, information and experiences to deliver this level of support at scale,” says Baber Zaka, general manager for third party at CommBank.
“By reducing friction, improving visibility and streamlining the end-to-end journey, lenders can help brokers focus on what matters most: supporting customers through one of the most important financial decisions they will make.”
Australian mortgage brokers are now well and truly the established lifeguards manning the lending towers. More than three quarters of new residential loans are originated via brokers, and growth in that figure shows no signs of slowing. For CommBank, this dominance represents more than a market statistic. It reflects a structural change in how customers approach one of their most significant financial decisions.
“With brokers facilitating around 77% of
home loans nationally, their influence continues to grow as customers rely on them for expert guidance, choice and confidence in an increasingly complex environment,” says Zaka.
This complexity is particularly acute for first home buyers, who increasingly turn to brokers for clarity and practical support through unfamiliar territory. Perhaps first home buyers are the toddlers at the beach who need a more experienced hand.
As customer needs become more nuanced, the broker-customer relationship has strengthened, helping more Australians progress from aspiration to purchase through trusted, personalised guidance.
Economic pressures and the cost of living are adding another layer to this equation. Brokers are advocating strongly on behalf of customers, seeking consistency, clear credit guidance and predictable assessment experiences from lenders. They want meaningful conversations with relationship managers that support realistic outcomes aligned with customer expectations and values.
The last 12 months changed what both brokers and customers expect from the lending experience.
“The past year reshaped expectations across the home lending ecosystem,” Zaka explains. “Rate movements and sharper pricing competition in 2025 raised the bar for what ‘good’ looks like when it comes to speed, transparency and the overall lending experience.”
For customers, this translates to less tolerance for delays, uncertainty or rework. These shifts have elevated operational excellence and responsiveness from foundational considerations to even stronger strategic priorities for CommBank as it moves into 2026.
A defining trend throughout 2025 was rising broker demand for more engaged and accountable lender support. Brokers increasingly sought direct case ownership, proactive communication and faster issue resolution, recognising that this level of engagement
“The past year reshaped expectations across the home lending ecosystem. Rate movements and sharper pricing competition … raised the bar for what ‘good’ looks like when it comes to speed, transparency and the overall lending experience” Baber Zaka, CommBank
directly improves experiences and outcomes for their customers.
“This momentum is shaping how we think about deeper, more transparent broker relationships in the year ahead, with a clear focus on helping brokers spend more time advising customers and less time navigating process friction,” adds Zaka.
Customer expectations also advanced rapidly. Appetite for digital visibility accelerated, with both brokers and borrowers seeking clearer line of sight on application progress and quicker access to information. Greater transparency enables brokers to set clearer expectations with customers, reduce uncertainty during the lending journey
and support more informed decision-making at key moments.
The sector made significant strides in automation and integration in 2025. CommBank’s continued investments, including CommBroker enhancements, PEXA integration and new self-serve escalation tools, have helped redefine what best-in-class broker support looks like.
As these capabilities mature, they are simplifying the lending journey, reducing time to decision and enabling brokers to deliver smoother, more predictable outcomes for their customers. The result is rising standards across the entire market.
Meeting customers where they are “At CommBank, our starting point is always the customer,” says Zaka. “As we move into 2026, our focus remains on meeting customers wherever they choose to engage and delivering a consistent, high-quality experience across each.”
In that context, CommBank recognises the central role brokers play in helping Australians realise their homeownership goals. Brokers now facilitate the majority of home loan flows nationally, reflecting a clear and enduring shift in customer behaviour.
is critical to building better relationships with brokers and customers,” says Zaka.
This means applying clear, consistent credit-decisioning and assessment approaches that work for both brokers and the customers they support. By reducing turnaround time variability and sharpening the clarity of policy pathways, CommBank can give brokers greater confidence and help customers clearly understand what to expect at every stage of the lending journey.
“We’ve continued to strengthen our Platinum proposition to better support the
“At CommBank, our starting point is always the customer” Baber Zaka, CommBank
As this shift accelerates, CommBank’s investment in broker experiences is designed to strengthen the role brokers play for their customers. By enhancing digital capability, improving visibility across the application journey and reducing process friction, the bank enables brokers to spend more time advising customers and less time managing administration.
Strategic priorities for 2026
“Delivering consistent credit outcomes remains a core priority as the lending environment continues to evolve, because consistency
brokers who continue to support us,” Zaka says. “This includes increasing our credit assessment capacity, introducing one-day service level agreements and providing fully assessed pre-approvals, while also investing in our people, including relationship managers and operations teams, to provide consistent and reliable support when brokers need it.”
Accelerating digital uplift across the broker experience is equally critical to improving customer outcomes. CommBank’s focus is on ensuring every broker has access to faster, more transparent tools that reduce followups, cut friction and create a smoother
flow from lodgement through to settlement.
Day to day, this translates to quicker updates, fewer delays and a more predictable experience for customers, enabled by fewer manual interventions and a more intuitive, data-driven broker experience that moves at the pace customers now expect.
Reducing rework and administrative burden is another important focus area. By embedding digital validations, improving data quality and simplifying policy interpretation, CommBank is removing unnecessary touchpoints and minimising back-and-forth. This allows brokers to spend more time supporting customers through key decisions, rather than managing operational friction.
CommBroker evolution continues
The continued evolution of CommBroker remains one of the most impactful ways CommBank is helping brokers deliver better outcomes for customers. Enhanced visibility, clearer status updates and smarter digital tools are enabling faster decisions and more confident conversations with customers as lending scenarios become increasingly complex.
Behind the scenes, greater automation and intelligent decisioning are simplifying the end-to-end lending journey. By reducing rework, streamlining credit checks and guiding brokers to the right policy pathways earlier, CommBank is helping customers move from application to outcome with greater speed, clarity and certainty.
“We are particularly excited about new selfserve digital escalation capabilities within CommBroker,” adds Zaka. “These give brokers faster ways to resolve queries and keep applications moving, reducing delays and uncertainty for customers while giving brokers greater control and transparency throughout the process.”
CommBank focuses on backing brokers with the platforms, insights and support they need to read the conditions, signal changing currents and keep customers between the flags. By strengthening these broker partnerships, the bank is helping more Australians navigate the waves of 2026 with better confidence.
WHEN REPRESENTATIVES from some of Australia’s pre-eminent customer-owned banks descended on Cafe Sydney this February, much of the discussion centred on values.
Participants went to great lengths to spotlight the many ways these institutions are working with – and giving back to – the communities in which they operate.
Customer-owned banks are, by their very nature, beholden to their members’ interests instead of shareholder profits, so these topics are far from unusual whenever they gather in one room. But what was surprising was the increasingly important role brokers play in telling their story.
Over the past year, customer-owned banks have tightened their broker relationships amid ongoing consolidation in the mutual banking sector. They are increasingly recognising the critical role brokers play in home loan distribution, while investing in technologies to simplify and streamline the application process.
The 2025 financial year was one of solid growth for customer-owned banks. Deposits across the combined mutual sector grew by 8.7% to $144.3 billion, while lending rose 8.2% to $145.8 billion, per KPMG’s latest Mutual Industry Review
But the challenges are also vast. Major banks are becoming increasingly aggressive
Customer-owned banks are doubling down on the broker channel to help drive a human-centric banking agenda amid widespread industry consolidation
with their lending strategies, while the breakneck growth in artificial intelligence is changing the game for turnaround times and customer retention.
To discuss these themes and more, MPA gathered leaders from seven of Australia’s largest customer-owned banks around the table, namely:
• Brendon Prior, national manager broker distribution, Great Southern Bank
• Daniel Woods, state manager, P&N Bank
• Darren McLeod, head of third party, Beyond Bank
• Mark Middleton, head of third party
distribution, Teachers Mutual Bank Limited
• Matthew Wood, national manager –partnerships, Bank Australia
• Michael Sancilio, head of connected channels and partnerships, People First Bank
• Zeb Drummond, chief operating o cer, Gateway Bank
Two of Australia’s top brokers, Katrina Rowlands of Mortgage Success and Loan Market franchise owner Ruth Crampton, also joined the discussion. They were more than happy to press the roundtable participants on how they’re doubling down on
the broker channel in a highly competitive environment.
Here’s how it went down.
What are your members demanding from you, and how have their interests changed over the past 12 months?
Kicking things off, Great Southern Bank’s Brendon Prior made the point that while the fundamental values and trust-based relationships inherent in the customer-owned banking space haven’t changed, there have been some considerable changes in the approach to digital transformation and security.
“Online security has been huge for us,” said
Prior. “We’ve really invested heavily in that space.” He noted that while Great Southern Bank’s approach has been to bring in younger members, these issues are particularly pertinent for older members who are less up to date with technological developments.
Members are increasingly demanding transparency around retained profits and how these are reflected in product pricing, Prior said. These members – and also new customers – deeply appreciate the fact that, as a customer-owned bank, all profits are reinvested back into the business for the benefit of customers.
Michael Sancilio added that at People First Bank, “we probably haven’t seen a
real shift in their demands over the last six to 12 months. They’ve been very consistent, especially in their expectations of having a simple, secure digital experience.”
Sancilio explained that members are becoming increasingly proactive in wanting to engage with People First, and they expect a high level of consistency and transparency from their customer-owned banking partners. “That’s made it even more important for People First Bank to develop our overall service offering with these expectations in mind.”
Bank Australia’s Matthew Wood said, “As a 100% customer-owned bank, our clients know our values, and they hold us to them. We know our customers want to use their money as a force for good and make a collective positive impact.”
Climate action is a major priority for members, Wood noted. “We are a certified B Corp and aim to be Australia’s most trusted bank. We regularly survey our customers to understand what matters most to them. The
“When regulation reflects the way mutuals operate, customer-owned banks are better positioned to offer choice, value and trust – ensuring customers and communities benefit from a more competitive and balanced banking system”
Brendon Prior, Great Southern Bank
results directly inform our impact priority areas as well as the development of our product and services.”
Darren McLeod continued, “Customers are way more educated these days, so they want better collaboration and conversations.” This makes it important for Beyond Bank to have the best and brightest frontline staff in place to help them manage budgets
and cash flows. “It’s really about embracing all staff, especially in the call centres, so they can have a good conversation about what the customer needs,” he added.
Last year, Beyond Bank conducted over 55,000 banking reviews for customers. “As a business we are confident that demand will continue to grow,” said McLeod.
He also highlighted the importance of
simplified processes. “First and foremost, we should be easy to deal with and quick to respond, whether it be an everyday query or for a loan approval. We’re looking to achieve this through digital convenience while continuing to value human touch when we’re needed,” he said.
Mark Middleton reflected on the increasing importance of fraud protection. “Fraud protection has become a major priority for our members,” he said. In response, TMBL has strengthened its cybersecurity processes and invested resources into new measures to help detect and prevent scams and fraud.
In 2024, TMBL was the first customerowned bank to implement a new security tool alerting members if the account details they provided appeared incorrect.
“Our brokers aren’t shy in telling us what they think, and we appreciate that honesty as it means we can make impactful change”
Daniel Woods, P&N Bank
“We’ve all heard the horror stories from conveyancers about stolen details and redirected funds,” Middleton said. “Introducing these safeguards has been a critical enhancement for our clients.”
Values-based banking, with its expectations of ethical conduct and environmental responsibility, “is how we differentiate ourselves from the shareholder-owned banks,” added Middleton. “Our shareholders are our members, so everything we return goes back into the business to benefit them.”
Woods pointed out that “customers are more deliberate in their borrowing decisions, whether that’s because of cost of living or sensitivity to household cash flow. Rates are unfortunately back to being top priority for everybody, so we need to be mindful of that with our broker partners and our customers.”
It’s not just about digital capability these days, Woods added. “It’s about being fast and
efficient across all of your channels, because digital is an expectation now. Whether it’s the mobile channel, the broker channel, in branches or through the contact centre, customers expect a fast, frictionless experience every time.”
Gateway Bank’s Zeb Drummond said, “I think our customers need us to be what they want. So when they want something digital, they need to be able to enact digital. If that’s their channel of comfort, then we need to provide that and make that available to them.”
But people want to be able to speak to a human at a contact centre. “They want to feel and know that they’re being heard as well,” he added.
Drummond believes it is this human touch that gives customer-owned banks a real point of difference to their competitors. “The majors cannot possibly hope to replicate that because their scale is different to ours.”
What are you doing to forge deeper ties with brokers?
Additionally, what are the main benefits to your business of distributing through the third party channel?
McLeod stressed the importance to Beyond Bank of providing a consistent service to its broker network, including same-day responses from the BDM team to scenario and rate queries.
“We want to get the message across from credit, from the BDMs, from the contact centre, from the support team, so that consistency is our big thing, knowing what you’re getting with Beyond Bank,” said McLeod.
In turn, brokers have been a huge benefit to Beyond Bank, growing its presence across NSW, Victoria and Queensland. McLeod said, “New South Wales is number one for our business now, mainly with the brokers, while Victoria is second. That’s what brokers have done for us; they’ve expanded our network nationally.”
For TMBL, “brokers remain critical to expanding our reach,” Middleton said. “Brokers support access to the broader residential mortgage market, which aligns with our core lending focus.”
Brokers also provide access to the younger, digitally oriented cohort, “who increasingly
rely on brokers for choice, transparency and trusted advice”.
TMBL has invested heavily in delivering quick turnaround times and responses for clients.
“Triage is critical for us,” Middleton said. “It ensures applications are complete before
with the rollout of our new CRM and broker accreditation survey, allowing us to improve that experience at the same time.”
He added, “Brokers play a crucial role in helping new customers discover Bank Australia, and we know many customers prefer to engage a broker when looking
“Sustainability is in our DNA. We look at it as an important part of our day-to-day business”
Darren McLeod, Beyond Bank
reaching an assessor, enabling a one-touch approval wherever possible. Over the past year, our triage process has significantly improved both efficiency and loan flows.”
Wood emphasised that Bank Australia values its partnerships with its accredited brokers. To continue delivering for brokers, the bank has redesigned its website, improved the accreditation process and updated its origination platform.
“The redesign simplifies the process and makes it easier for brokers to support their customers,” said Wood. “This uplift coincided
for a home loan or refinancing an existing one. The broker channel provides visibility and reach, allowing us to connect with more customers who share our values.”
At People First, Sancilio said brokers are “a fundamental part of the bank that we’ve been building”.
A recent merger saw Heritage Bank’s “very mature” broker book combine with People’s Choice’s growing broker book to create People First Bank. “We’ve really been able to take the best of both of those elements to develop a service proposition that better
supports our broker partners,” Sancilio said. “We want to continue to grow our broker book as much as we can.”
Since the merger, People First Bank has been putting more focus on understanding brokers “a fair bit more on the engagement side, to really be able to share what our brand is”.
“We’re out there with the People First Bank to a degree,” continued Sancilio. “But we also have our legacy brands, which can confuse people. So we really need to try and be clear about who we are and what we want our People First Bank proposition to look like. To do that, we need to ask those questions and get the feedback directly from the brokers around what’s important for them, then act on that.”
Prior pointed out that “seventy-six percent of mortgages are written by brokers, so you really have to play in that space”. He noted that the vast majority – over 70% – of Great Southern Bank’s flow comes through the broker channel.
Prior attributed Great Southern Bank’s growth in every state and territory in the country – even in places where it doesn’t have a branch presence – to the close ties the bank has forged with brokers.
Actually listening to brokers by bringing them into a room for a roundtable discussion has been invaluable, Prior said. “A lot of our change for the last three years has come from those roundtable sessions.”
He also mentioned that Great Southern Bank’s operations and credit staff have similar scorecard targets to those of its sales teams, ensuring that everyone works towards a unified goal.
For Drummond, the value proposition of working with brokers is simple: “An expanded distribution that we couldn’t hope to achieve via a proprietary channel.” He understands that a customer-owned bank has little chance of competing with the majors on proprietary distribution, which makes it all the more important to keep broker relationships in good health.
While disagreements between bank and broker on credit policy are natural, Drummond believes it’s “absolutely critical”
that banks don’t change the goalposts midway through a negotiation.
“For the last 12 months, we haven’t had a single broker tell us that we’ve moved the goalposts,” he said. “I think that’s really going to help brokers get some confidence in their submissions.”
Daniel Woods added that “brokers play a vital role in our success at P&N Bank and BCU Bank. They’re a crucial part of our multichannel approach. This integration means we can meet our customers wherever they want, providing the flexibility and convenience they need to choose how they engage with us.”
P&N Group remains laser focused on the basics, said Woods. “We’ve come on a long journey and had some amazing feedback … it’s about continuing to listen and getting the basics right.”
P&N Group has also made a concerted effort to improve the communication channels of its BDM and credit teams. “Going back a few years, our credit and assessment teams didn’t phone brokers; communication would mostly be via email,” Woods acknowledged. “We changed that process, and it’s going from strength to strength. We’re getting such wonderful feedback from our brokers around the team and the engagement they have with our people. Our people really make a difference.”
Broker question from Katrina Rowlands, Mortgage Success: Brokers frequently act as educators for customers. What tools, data and initiatives are you offering, or planning to offer, to help brokers advocate for customer-owned banks?
In tabling this question, Rowlands explained that while she enjoys working with customerowned banks, they could do a better job of helping brokers explain their compelling proposition to clients.
Woods was first to take the stand, given the changes to the broker experience underway at P&N Group. He reiterated the importance of listening and taking on board the information provided to P&N Group. He also empha-
“Brokers remain critical to expanding our reach. Brokers support access to the broader residential mortgage market, which aligns with our core lending focus”
Mark Middleton, Teachers Mutual Bank Limited
sised the virtue of getting on the road and attending PD days with the bank’s BDMs.
“From an education point of view, we run regular Boost Sessions across both brands,” Woods said. “Whilst we support aggregator groups with their education programs, we also do an in-house education program on a bi-monthly basis with guest speakers. Whether that’s someone to help with social media or building your own business, we feel like we’re really adding value to the brokers who work with us.”
Rowlands pressed further, asking how the likes of P&N Group onboard broker input on a day-to-day basis. Woods pointed out that BDMs play an important role in conveying brokers’ demands back to the bank’s leadership. “Our brokers aren’t shy in telling us what they think, and we appreciate that honesty as it means we can make impactful change,” he said.
Prior explained that Great Southern Bank’s Broker Portal is a key resource, bringing everything brokers need together in one
place, including detailed product information, current offers, news, forms and support materials. It’s designed to make it easier for brokers to educate customers and highlight the benefits of choosing a customer-owned bank. The bank is also in the process of building a financial literacy program specifically tailored to brokers. “It goes very much back to the core values of customer-owned banking,” Prior said.
Great Southern Bank also runs quarterly executive roadshows, which have been useful for understanding brokers’ core needs. These roadshows have ensured the bank’s senior leadership team are familiar with the particular needs of brokers.
“Getting all our executive team out, they’re now going, ‘we need to invest heavier’, whether it be in education of the BDMs, education of brokers, or that one-team approach within the organisation. It’s been so powerful for us,” said Prior.
Coming back to Rowlands, she stressed the importance of having an open dialogue with the credit managers, including during the post-settlement phase. She gave a shoutout to TMBL, who, in her words, “know your product very well and know your clients”.
Middleton chalked this up to listening to brokers and using their feedback when designing new products. “Some of the changes to our features and products, that’s come from brokers, from what they need,” he said. That not only leads to more business “but most importantly to higher customer satisfaction, by listening not only to the customers but listening to our brokers”.
Loan Market’s Ruth Crampton made an interesting point. Just as customers want to deal with a single broker as their trusted adviser, so too do brokers prefer dealing with a single point of contact. “We want to be dealing with one credit assessor, one credit manager,” she said.
Sancilio added, “Everyone internally knows the importance of brokers.”
People First Bank recently brought together a large group of brokers from across different aggregators and states to hear their demands
BANKING SECTOR GROWS STRONGLY IN 2025
8.2%
8.7% Lending grew by 8.2% to $145.8bn (2024: $134.8bn)
Deposits grew by 8.7% to $144.3bn (2024: $132.8bn)
Source: KPMG MutualsIndustryReview2025
and expectations. Having a diversity of input was critical, he said, “because everyone brings a different perspective … We obviously can’t suit everybody, but once we actually categorise what people want to see, we can then build that back into what our processes are”.
Sancilio noted that People First Bank has some “outdated systems that are now being
“We do a bit, but of course we could always do better,” McLeod said.
In Drummond’s view, “If we ignore brokers, then we’re ignoring probably the largest contributor to our business, and it’s only going to grow as well. So wherever we can educate brokers as to what we are and how we do things, it makes for a much smoother, much better outcome for our customers that we share.”
Drummond also stressed the importance of keeping brokers aware of what’s happening with the loans on their books, including potential clawback risks. These good-faith actions are important, since brokers are key to getting the message out to customers about the benefits of working with mutual lenders.
Other roundtable participants highlighted their own broker-retention policies, which Rowlands said are becoming increasingly important.
What would you like to see at the forefront of customer-owned banking advocacy initiatives this year?
Woods would like to see more research into using technology and AI to make banking simpler in a safe way. “Our sector will continue to be advocates for a more level playing field
“Climate change is our customers’ number one concern, and it’s a concern we share” Matthew Wood, Bank Australia
updated”, which presents a true opportunity for the bank. “We’re building a new, modern system with input from brokers, to deliver an enhanced experience for them. There’s a lot of change coming over the next six months, which is really exciting for us.”
McLeod said that while there has been progress over the past few years, he agreed that customer-owned banks could do more to help brokers advocate for them. In particular, he would like to see more training of BDMs to help them explain the true values of customer-owned banking to customers.
in terms of lending regulation and compliance too, because customer-owned banks can be disproportionately impacted,” he said.
Drummond wants more emphasis put on the overall value of mutuality and what it means to the end consumer and the broker. “That’s the thing that we need to be advocating for,” he said.
McLeod noted that the Customer Owned Banking Association does a lot to put together programs and frameworks to help educate and support its members around issues pertaining to scams and fraud.
Beyond Bank has already run approximately 50 sessions for members and community groups, covering topics such as financial abuse, scam awareness and financial wellbeing.
COBA advocates for customer-owned
that our customers tell us are most important to them”. He added, “We continue to work closely with our industry association to advocate on issues like scams, payments reform, and for proportionate regulation for the customer-owned sector that recognises
“As a customer-owned bank, doing good is the foundation of everything that we do. Whether that’s through our customers, through the communities, employees or the environment, it’s all really important”
Michael Sancilio, People First Bank
banks to help “even the playing field” with government and regulators, said McLeod, though he would like to see the association do more in the broker space, given the massive part brokers play in advancing the sector.
Others around the table agreed.
Moving the discussion on, Sancilio said, “We face capital and regulatory settings that are just not aligned to the risk profile of the customer-owned sector, especially compared to the majors. There are a number of reforms that we’re really passionate about to drive some change in that space – mainly around the capital requirements, aligning that with the actual risk of how we operate as a bank.”
Sancilio would like to see a proportional approach to regulation, “because that’s a huge cost to us from the compliance side. We have to put lots of resources into compliance functions and regulatory teams to meet requirements that are actually aimed at the major banks and the way they operate.
“You don’t necessarily see that from outside of the bank, but those disproportionate costs do have an impact on how competitive we can be.”
From a Bank Australia perspective, Wood said “we’ll continue to focus our advocacy on the social and environmental impact issues
the different profile of the sector.”
Wood mentioned four impact areas that members expect customer-owned banks to take action on: climate action; nature and biodiversity; First Nations recognition and respect, and affordable and accessible housing.
Middleton expressed a desire for stronger promotion of sustainable practices within
the customer-owned sector. “There should be greater visibility of the sustainability commitment of customer-owned banks, including the B Corp status many hold,” he said.
Middleton pointed to TMBL’s move to a sixstar Green Star-rated building as an example of operational leadership. “Customers are increasingly focused on sustainability, and we need to highlight how the sector is responding to that,” he said.
Prior added, “When regulation reflects the way mutuals operate, customer-owned banks are better positioned to offer choice, value and trust – ensuring customers and communities benefit from a more competitive and balanced banking system.”
Customers value sustainability and environmental awareness in their banking partners. How are you addressing these values?
“Sustainability is in our DNA,” said McLeod. “We look at it as an important part of our dayto-day business. So that’s really important.”
McLeod drew attention to the 2024 Customer Owned Banking Impact Report, which showed that customer-owned banks gave back to their communities at nearly nine times the rate of major banks.
It showed that, on average, credit unions and mutual banks reinvested 5.2% of their profits into community and charitable organisations, while major banks contributed 0.6% of their profits. Beyond Bank went one step further and reinvested 6.3% of its profits in 2025.
“This year Beyond Bank is proud to celebrate our 10th year as a Certified B Corp with a B Impact Score of 147,” said McLeod. “This is an increase of 42 points since our initial scoring in 2015 and demonstrates our commitment to increasing our overall positive impact on society and the environment.”
Over to Gateway, “Our purpose is pocket and planet,” said Drummond. “We want to enable Australians to make cost-conscious decisions that don’t adversely impact them but certainly help the planet at the same time.”
To put this into practice, Gateway has an ethical investment policy, an ethical lending policy, plus its Visa Eco debit card, “which produces 68% less greenhouse gases and emissions in its creation”.
Drummond mentioned Gateway’s numerous green products, such as the Green Plus Home Loan, which relies on a NatHERS (Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme) rating.
Source: MPA’s Brokers on Banks 2026 survey What do brokers want from banks?
“For us it’s about building out this suite of products and services that support people in doing something environmentally conscious but not paying an additional green tax or it costing more,” said Drummond.
Woods added that P&N Bank is “making genuine progress against our climate action commitments. All the little things count, like solar panels on four of our freehold properties and rolling out a hybrid fleet and our first EV. We believe we have a part to play in addressing the social issues impacting our customers.”
It’s important to consider what customerowned banks are doing in the environment space, Prior said. “As a bank, [Great Southern is] working towards being net zero by 2040. Currently, around 16 of our 26 branches and all three o ce hubs are now powered by renewable energy or GreenPower, and we are progressing towards our 100% renewable energy target by 2030.
“On the community side, the bank’s multiyear partnership with Mission Australia is helping tenants in community and social housing to reduce their expenses and embrace more sustainable living.”
Prior agreed that the customer-owned banks gathered around the table “sometimes don’t collectively tell our story well enough”.
People First’s Sancilio said, “As a customerowned bank, doing good is the foundation of everything that we do. Whether that’s through our customers, through the communities, employees or the environment, it’s all really important.”
Sancilio mentioned People First Bank’s carbon neutral certification, the People First Bank Foundation and the community lottery “that’s given millions of dollars to these grassroots community groups”. The bank also has its ‘Good Squad’, an employee volunteering program that contributes thousands of hours to community projects.
“Climate change is our customers’ number one concern, and it’s a concern we share,” said Wood. He noted that in a recent Bank Australia customer values survey, 86% of customers said they wanted the
bank to take action on the matter.
Bank Australia became the first Australian bank to care for a conservation reserve, spanning over 2,000 hectares on Wotjobaluk Country (western Victoria). “Protecting this land is part of how we’ve been taking action on nature and biodiversity on behalf of our customers since 2008,” said Wood.
He continued, “Our climate action strategy includes our commitments to climate justice, climate-related risk management and the protection of nature and biodiversity. Our products are designed to support customers to decarbonise their homes and vehicles, including our Clean Energy Home Loan, our home electrification support to help customers get o gas, and our EV loan for new electric vehicles.”
Middleton referred to TMBL’s vision: ‘Banking for good’. TMBL makes good on this promise through myriad community initiatives such as Stewart House. TMBL also supports other essential workers, such as health workers, via bursaries, uniform endowments and scholarships.
“The bank maintains a strong track record of social responsibility and community investment,” said Middleton. Of course, TMBL must reinvest in its own products, services and people, but “a substantial portion of our efforts is going back to the community itself rather than to shareholders”.
TMBL’s B Corp accreditation “is particularly appealing to younger value-driven borrowers and brokers”, Middleton added.
Broker question from Ruth Crampton: I have been a keen supporter of customer-owned banks as they bring a level of accountability to the marketplace. But we are operating in a competitive environment of 24-hour turnaround times and major banks pushing proprietary loans, helped by automation and simplification of some policies and procedures. Do you perceive this as a threat and, if so, what are you doing to ensure that we can continue to
“We should celebrate what we are. We aren’t the majors, but that’s a good thing. What that gives us is the ability to move quickly and be nimble in comparison to major banks”
Zeb Drummond, Gateway Bank
support the customer-owned banking sector and provide a streamlined service for our customers?
“Obviously the big guys are potentially going to be ahead of you in technology,” Crampton acknowledged as she put her question to the roundtable. But as someone who wants to work with customer-owned banks, she was keen to know how they plan to compete with the big leagues.
“You’ve got to look at what the market’s doing, and you’ve got to be competing with the market,” said Wood. “So we have to invest, and that’s part of why there are so many mergers going on – to enable us to have the investment power to do that.”
“Two and three days [turnaround times] is acceptable as long as you do that day in, day out, week in, week out,” he added. “And I think that’s where we want to get to – not promise
the world and not deliver it. Be realistic and be consistent and make sure we deliver that every time.”
Sancilio agreed on the consistency piece. “You’re not going to get a three-hour approval with us at the moment [indeed, Crampton interjected, saying that no one in the broking community expects as much]. But it’s the communication and the consistency that comes with it that’s important.”
However, keeping track of what the major banks are doing “actually heightens the awareness across the bank around what we need to do to compete”, Sancilio added, pointing out that it helps guide investment into the technologies needed to be able to drive the experience customers expect.
True, every bank on the market wants to be able to compete on turnaround times, and Great Southern Bank is making decisions in
“Every deal has variables. But to get through the variables, there has to be a genuine understanding of the client’s situation” Katrina Rowlands, Mortgage Success
a competitive 4.3 days. But as Prior touched on, setting expectations is just as important. A bank should “be honest and transparent and carry that through”, he said.
Prior said hearing from your BDM should be expected, not something that deserves commendation. “Every time you ring, we’ll answer the phone. Every time you ask for something, we’ll deliver back on that. Again, it comes back to the people piece for me. There are some people that want just the transaction. But a home loan is not a transaction.”
“You’ve got to be really smart and really plan where you’re going to spend your money,” stressed McLeod. “Over the past 18 months, Beyond Bank has invested in enhancing its loan origination platform and automated its commission and accreditation systems. He said the bank is also constantly updating its banking app to deliver a smooth experience.
“Our advantage is that we know what we have to do, and we don’t waste a lot of money,” said McLeod. “We’ve got to be very targeted and very smart to deliver those technologies … I think that’s our advantage because we are
all in the same boat here. When you build a new system or do something, you’ve got to be on the money. You can’t waste much.”
Woods agreed with his peers’ comments, but he emphasised the importance of consistently revisiting what a customer-owned bank’s value proposition truly is. “If we don’t keep revisiting this, whether it’s through policies, processes or the overall customer experience, then it’s a wasted opportunity,” he said.
It’s not about trying to match the big four when it comes to investment “but about being agile, innovative and consistent”, Woods continued. As previously mentioned, brokers don’t expect a two-hour turnaround time from a customer-owned bank (although P&N Group’s fast-track process for P&N Bank and BCU Bank can sometimes make it happen, Woods noted), “but we need to have an alternative to what some of the bigger banks are doing by offering a strong focus on trust and service, as this is our differentiator”.
Drummond added, “We should celebrate what we are. We aren’t the majors, but that’s a good thing. What that gives us is the ability
to move quickly and be nimble in comparison to major banks. “When it comes time to listen or make a change – policy, process, broker feedback – there aren’t that many layers to get to me through my BDM team to understand what’s going on. We respond really, really quickly.”
That’s simply how mutuals compete with the majors, “not on their grounds but by celebrating the things that make us good and special and different”, Drummond said.
Customer-owned banks tend to underestimate themselves, continued Middleton, noting the various times their competitors have replicated what the sector has done. “We might not have that capability of always being the market leader, but we’re not far behind.”
Larger banks “can invest significantly more”, he added. “But we can adapt quickly, learn and implement with purpose.”
What’s the driving rationale behind mutual banking consolidations, and what are the long-term benefits of COB consolidation?
No customer-owned banks roundtable is complete without a discussion of mergers and acquisitions.
The industry is undergoing an intense wave of consolidation that’s reshaping it in real time. There were no less than seven mergers in 2025, up from four in 2024, including the high-profile combination of Bank Australia and Qudos Bank. This year has seen the marriage between Beyond Bank and Family First Bank get the nod from members, with more mergers going to member vote soon.
Some 32% of respondents to KPMG’s Mutuals Industry Review 2025 survey cited ‘acquisitions and mergers’ as their top priority for the following three years. Only ‘digital transformation’ (39%) and ‘maintaining profitable and sustainable growth’ (86%) emerged as higher priorities. Concurrently, 79% of respondents said they felt confident about their three-year growth prospects, compared to just 60% in 2024.
Roundtable participants were broadly aligned in their thoughts on the driving
forces behind industry consolidation.
Middleton put it plainly: “Scale. When I first joined, there were over 100 mutuals. We’re now down in the 50s range, and historically there have been up to 700. There is increasing regulation, technology advancement, and achieving scale is becoming increasingly difficult for smaller institutions.
“But by merging we can achieve greater economies of scale – while still maintaining our values and community focus.”
“We operate in an increasingly competitive market,” Woods noted. As a smaller institution competing against the major banks, Bank Australia is seeing increasing pressures from growing regulatory requirements and costs, the need for greater investment in technology and the cost of funding continued improvements in customer experience. “Merging means customer-owned banks can meet these challenges and can be in a strong position for the future. Mergers mean that the ethos of customer ownership can be enhanced well into the future.”
He added, “Investment in talented and capable employees, combined with the necessary investments in technology, customer experience expectations, cybersecurity, fraud and financial crime prevention and
compliance will only continue to increase year-on-year.”
Beyond Bank, meanwhile, has 15 successful mergers under its belt. McLeod discussed the shared values and expectations of members of
shift to digital. The second is increasing regulation and compliance needs.
“Mutuals need to invest more and more in contemporary digital services to match customer expectations and the offerings of
“What are you doing to ensure that we can continue to support the customerowned banking sector and provide a streamlined service for our customers?”
Ruth Crampton, Loan Market
merging entities, plus the natural benefits of technological alignment, an expanded service footprint and enhanced member value.
“While the number of mutual banks is decreasing, the strength of the sector is increasing,” McLeod said. “Mergers are less about ‘survival’ and more about building institutions that can genuinely compete with major banks while staying true to the customer-owned model.”
Sancilio explained that there are two main drivers behind the ongoing consolidation in the mutual sector. One is the rapid
the big banks,” said Sancilio. “That level of investment is difficult if you remain a smaller institution. Similarly, the costs of regulatory requirements have also increased, made tougher for mutuals because, as mentioned earlier, we have to comply with measures that are aimed at addressing the shortcomings of the big banks.
“The benefit of consolidation is that we are now ending up with larger mutuals that have the scale needed to be sustainable and competitive and to deliver a better experience both for broker partners and for customers.”
The roundtable discussion ended with a recap of why brokers like working with customer-owned banks.
“You’ve got more one-on-one contact,” said Crampton. She gave a specific nod to Beyond Bank’s razor-sharp communication. The industry simply eclipses the big four in terms of delivering the human touch, she explained.
“I like the authenticity it offers for our clients,” said Rowlands. “I love that I can pick up the phone in most cases and talk to the person that’s making the decision. Every deal has variables. But to get through the variables, there has to be a genuine understanding of the client’s situation. You don’t get that from the big four any more.”
Rowlands just wishes it was easier to better represent to borrowers the values of customer-owned banks. The roundtable participants surely took notes.
As mainstream lenders continue to slam the doors shut, specialist lenders are stepping up to support creditworthy Aussie borrowers
A SELF-EMPLOYED borrower, earning good money as a home decorator, heads into their local bank branch to secure a loan for a second property. The branch manager takes one quick look at their documentation, reaches into his drawer for the ‘declined’ stamp, and another worthy customer walks out empty-handed.
Despite comprehensive business activity
statements proving they have a rock-solid business cash flow, a lack of recent tax returns and insufficient income evidence means this hard-working home decorator has to look elsewhere for the credit they clearly deserve.
It’s an increasingly common scenario, especially as heightened regulatory scrutiny and tightening risk appetites continue to reshape the Australian lending landscape.
Increasing hawkish watchdogs like APRA have forced major banks and other authorised deposit-taking institutions to reassess who they work with and to what capacity, leaving non-banks and other alternative lenders to step up to the plate for creditworthy Australian borrowers.
Amid this changing lender landscape, the typical specialist lending customer
profile is undergoing a transformation. The specialist borrower of 2026 looks less like a niche outlier and more like a cross-section of modern Australia – self-employed professionals, contractors, developers and business owners, all with legitimate needs and increasingly complex financial lives. At the same time, economic pressures and tighter bank settings are pushing previously vanilla borrowers into the specialist camp.
Belinda Wright, general manager partnerships and distribution at Thinktank, has noticed “meaningful shifts in borrower profiles over the past year”, particularly as more self-employed clients and those borrowing through trusts or companies turn to lenders “who can take a practical, contextual view of their financial position”.
Thinktank is also seeing stronger demand in SMSF lending. Rising super balances and increased demand for control over wealth accumulation and retirement strategies are driving more trustees towards sophisticated commercial and residential SMSF solutions.
This evolution is closely tied to how brokers themselves are diversifying, notes Wright, saying, “The combination of regulatory focus, economic volatility and changing lender appetites in certain segments has created an environment where thoughtful, flexible credit solutions are more valued than ever.”
At Resimac, general manager of sales and distribution John Athanas has seen a similar broadening of the borrower base, with borrowers who would once have sailed through a mainstream scorecard now landing in the specialist segment.
“There are several reasons for this,” says Athanas. “More borrowers have experienced temporary arrears or missed payments as household budgets have tightened. Reliance on short-term credit has led to missed repayments for people who have had otherwise strong credit histories.
“Similarly, the increase in contractor roles and the growth in self-employment has changed the face of income structures. Some
banks’ automated processes can’t accommodate these worthy borrowers.”
Millbrook’s general manager, George Lyall, describes the group’s borrower base as “increasingly broad”, with the lender continuing to back large-scale developer clients “who are otherwise top-tier bank customers but require short-term finance solutions”.
At the same time, Millbrook is seeing “more small business owners seeking assistance with property acquisitions or smaller development projects”. For many of these clients, private credit offers the combination of speed, structuring flexibility and direct access to decision-makers that is difficult to find at a major bank. “These borrowers are attracted by certainty of outcome, fast credit
needing ATO or debt consolidation solutions; and refinancers who were once prime borrowers but who no longer pass tightened bank criteria.
While the customer profile is undergoing a transformation, there’s been no change in the fundamental purpose of specialist lending – to support everyday Australians whose circumstances, as Pepper Money’s general manager mortgage and commercial lending Barry Saoud puts it, “have shifted and who no longer fit the tight, automated policy settings of traditional banks”.
“These customers have often been longterm bank clients; what changes is their situ-
“The combination of regulatory focus, economic volatility and changing lender appetites in certain segments has created an environment where thoughtful, flexible credit solutions are more valued than ever”
Belinda Wright, Thinktank
decisions and the ability to deal directly with decision-makers,” says Lyall.
Aaron Taylor, head of non-standard lending at Bluestone Home Loans, has also noticed a rising cohort of borrowers who technically qualify at a bank but prefer a lender that will fully recognise their income story. “These shifts are driving greater interest in specialist lending as customers look for a more personalised assessment,” Taylor says.
Pepper Money, meanwhile, is seeing higher volumes of newly self-employed sole operators with short financial histories; borrowers with minor credit hits tied to cost of living pressures; variable income earners and gig workers; business owners
ation, not their character or intentions,” says Saoud. Common scenarios include job losses, temporary medical setbacks, divorce or relationship breakdown, major business disruptions, and becoming newly self-employed with a fresh ABN.
Saoud adds that debt consolidation –customers looking to roll multiple liabilities into a single manageable home loan repayment – constitutes a significant portion of the specialist lending market.
“Because banks lean heavily on rigid scorecards and fixed policy cut-offs, Pepper Money uses a balanced, common-sense assessment that considers the full story behind the application,” says Saoud.
He continues, “With cost of living pressures,
elevated household expenses and higher interest rates, more borrowers are experiencing temporary cash-flow strain, missed payments, change in income. This has pushed more customers outside bank criteria, even when their long-term financial position is sound.
“Specialist lending creates a pathway forward, allowing borrowers to rebuild stability, reduce repayment pressure and ultimately transition back to mainstream lending once their situation improves.”
For Thinktank, “specialist lending is about meeting the needs of borrowers whose circumstances sit outside traditional product and credit settings without adding complexity for brokers or their clients”, says Wright.
Thinktank predominantly supports selfemployed, company and trust clients, with a product suite spanning commercial, residen-
“When clients no longer fit traditional bank criteria, it often falls to the broker to explain why. That’s why it’s so important for Resimac to continue raising awareness of specialist lending options that may work for a broker’s client instead”
John Athanas, Resimac
tial, SMSF and private lending options. This broad capability is increasingly in demand.
“For many brokers, specialist lending is now an essential part of their toolkit, and lenders like Thinktank are playing a critical role in keeping this segment well supported
with clarity and confidence,” says Wright. Athanas explains that Resimac’s Specialist range – comprising Specialist Clear, Plus and Assist – is designed to support creditworthy borrowers who have some form of credit impairment or a non-standard credit history.
To illustrate that this is not a ‘last resort’ segment, Athanas points to common scenarios that brokers are likely to see. Resimac can, for example, help “an IT contractor with recent mortgage arrears due to a gap in employment looking to lend up to 90% LVR, or a self-employed plumber with fluctuating income looking to refinance his existing home and consolidate accumulated debt, something a traditional lender may not consider.”
These are working Australians with real financing needs, but they may need a specialist approach to income, serviceability and recent conduct.
For Millbrook, with its focus on SMEs and property developers, specialist lending is not about disregarding risk parameters but about applying them more dynamically. Typical clients are businesses and developers who could often qualify as ‘bank grade’ in other circumstances.
Lyall explains how specialist lending is less about operating outside traditional bank risk parameters “and more about delivering tailored solutions where certainty, speed and borrower focus are critical”.
He adds, “While Millbrook’s risk principles are broadly aligned with those of major
Partnering
banks, what truly di erentiates us is our absolute focus on the borrower and our ability to consistently deliver outcomes that exceed expectations. Our client-centric approach, combined with a nimble and streamlined credit team, enables turnaround times that are materially faster than traditional banks.”
Bluestone places particular emphasis on borrowers whose financial stories are complex or evolving, or that simply don’t fit a straight line. “We take the time to under-
ness “grow sharply since diversification has become a central theme in the broker market”, adding that education is “woven into our business model – from practical casebased training to hands-on scenario support”.
“We also tailor our support for both seasoned commercial brokers and residential brokers transitioning into new segments, reflecting the di erent knowledge levels and confidence across the market,” she adds.
Broker education is critical at Resimac
“We are often stepping in where banks are constrained by policy, timing or complexity, even where the underlying borrower and asset quality remains strong”
George Lyall, Millbrook
stand their circumstances, income patterns and future potential, instead of relying solely on past tax returns or a single income source,” says Taylor.
He further explains how Bluestone’s assessment approach is explicitly human first. “Every application is assessed individually so we can match customers with a loan structure that reflects their real financial position. We regularly help self-employed borrowers verify income through recent BAS statements or even an accountant’s letter, as this can help show their up-to-date financial position.”
As specialist lending becomes more central to broker businesses, education and confidence are proving just as important as products and pricing.
Lenders are investing heavily in training, scenario support and direct access to credit teams to help brokers navigate structures like SMSFs, trusts, companies and complex self-employed income.
Wright says Thinktank has seen aware-
because, as Athanas explains, the broker is often setting realistic expectations for customers. “When clients no longer fit traditional bank criteria, it often it falls to the broker to explain why,” he says. “That’s why it’s so important for Resimac to continue raising awareness of specialist lending options that may work for a broker’s client instead.”
To support brokers in those conversations, Resimac builds awareness of specialist lending through “clear product and policy resources, regular training, dedicated BDM support and broker-friendly credit policies”.
Millbrook has “absolutely seen greater awareness of specialist lending products among brokers,” Lyall says. “Broker confidence in credible, long-standing private lenders such as Millbrook continues to strengthen. We actively support broker education through direct access to our credit team and targeted training initiatives, including specialised sessions on property development and business lending fundamentals.”
Taylor concurs, saying brokers are “abso-
lutely” seeing the benefits of specialist lending options on the market. “We’re seeing brokers increasingly recognise that specialist lending isn’t limited to traditional high-risk or non-conforming clients. Many simply need a lender who can consider different income types or complex situations,” he says.
For Bluestone, the starting point is always dialogue. Taylor says, “Our BDMs work closely with brokers to understand their clients’ needs and help identify solutions early in the process. We’re also seeing fewer brokers dismiss deals up front due to a mismatch with major bank policy. Instead, we encourage them to explore all options before saying no − and if they’re unsure, we’re always available to workshop scenarios.”
lenders get innovative Specialist lenders are putting a lot of e ort into removing friction for brokers while closing funding gaps left by banks.
Thinktank, for instance, has continued to evolve its suite “to deliver solutions that directly meet broker and client needs”.
Wright highlights Thinktank’s Private Lending o ering, which provides “fl exible structures and fast decisioning to support time-critical or bespoke scenarios, ensuring brokers can move quickly when opportunities arise”.
“Thinktank has also scaled up to handle larger and more sophisticated transactions, including expanding its commercial and commercial SMSF loan sizes to $10 million and continuing to o er lease-doc and GST options. These enhancements are designed to give brokers greater versatility when structuring deals for diverse client situations,” says Wright.
Resimac has zeroed in on accessibility and fl exibility, aiming to make specialist lending “feel more like a mainstream solution” for everyday borrowers. Recent developments include expanded alt-doc options, which allow borrowers to verify income differently, and enhanced cash-out policies for business or investment purposes,
“reflecting the needs of self-employed clients”, says Athanas.
At Millbrook, o -the-shelf products are less important than bespoke structures that mirror the realities of development and business risk. One example is the lender’s ‘Cost Overrun’ facility, available to select development clients.
Lyall explains, “This progressive funding solution assists borrowers with unforeseen costs that typically arise near project completion, allowing projects to reach completion without requiring additional borrower equity where none is available.”
Bluestone, meanwhile, has recently broadened the scope of its specialist product range by extending its maximum loan size, adding more options for self-employed borrowers, and improving the range of accepted locations.
Product innovations aside, “the key to specialist lending is about the human touch”,
“We’re seeing brokers increasingly recognise that specialist lending isn’t limited to traditional high-risk or nonconforming clients. Many simply need a lender who can consider di erent income types or complex situations”
Aaron Taylor, Bluestone Home Loans
Taylor says. “We’ve invested in our BDM network to provide a more personalised service to brokers, giving them time to understand the needs of their unique clients. We have also grown our underwriting team to allow for assessments on a case-by-case basis − again, giving them the time to understand the customer’s full story.
“Being able to work through each deal and the unique circumstances allows us to find more solutions for more borrowers.”
Saoud draws attention to Pepper Money’s heavy investments in processes and product
designs that help brokers identify solutions quickly and present them confidently to clients. The Pepper Product Selector, for instance, provides brokers with “simple, fast, scenario-driven guidance”.
“One of the biggest challenges for brokers in the specialist space is quickly identifying which product is suitable, whether the credit profile is acceptable and what documentation will be required,” explains Saoud. “The Pepper Product Selector solves this by allowing brokers to enter a few key details and instantly see the most
appropriate product options − aligned to the customer’s credit profile, income type and loan purpose.”
Leaning into its debt consolidation expertise, Pepper Money also conducts robust capacity assessments for customers rolling credit cards, personal loans, ATO or business debt and other debts into one. “This is especially important in today’s high-cost environment, where lowering a customer’s monthly outgoings can be the difference between ongoing financial stress and long-term stability,” says Saoud.
Pepper Money also became a market leader in launching Alt Doc Xpress, a digital process that transforms the traditionally paper-heavy alternative-documentation journey into what Saoud describes as “a fast, structured, secure online experience”.
He explains, “Alt Doc Xpress allows customers to share required income information digitally, reducing back and forth and accelerating credit assessment. For brokers, this means smoother lodgements, fewer touchpoints and faster conditional decisions − especially on more complex files.”
Regulation and tighter bank appetites
As previously mentioned, stricter regulation in the broader credit environment is providing a window of opportunity for these specialist lenders. But how are they seizing the opportunity?
Millbrook is “often stepping in where banks are constrained by policy, timing or complexity, even where the underlying borrower and asset quality remains strong”, says Lyall.
“A significant portion of our business comes from repeat clients on growth trajectories. These borrowers return to Millbrook because we take the time to understand their business models and can deliver solutions e ciently for time-poor business owners, rather than o ering purely vanilla transactions.”
Wright sees regulation as an essential pillar, not a headwind. She believes it’s “an essential part of maintaining a stable, sustainable lending environment, and we’ve always taken a responsible, well-documented approach to credit”.
“Specialist lending creates a pathway forward, allowing borrowers to rebuild stability, reduce repayment pressure and ultimately transition back to mainstream lending once their situation improves”
Barry Saoud, Pepper Money
With several banks recently pulling back from company and trust structures, Thinktank has seen an increase in family trust and corporate trustee submissions, along with growing utilisation of SMSF and bare trust arrangements for commercial and residential investment.
“For Thinktank, this means supporting more brokers to diversify, providing structures that meet the reality of how Australian borrowers operate today, and
ensuring we maintain the speed, consistency and support brokers expect from us,” says Wright.
Regulators’ increased scrutiny is also sharpening the distinction between lenders that have long-standing risk disciplines and those playing catch-up.
In Athanas’ view, “APRA’s increased regulatory scrutiny seen in late 2025 reinforces the importance of conservative risk settings, strong credit verification processes, and transparency for borrowers, but it also provides opportunity for non-banks to introduce flexibility into the equation.
“Resimac views today’s environment as an opportunity to demonstrate the maturity and robustness of the non-bank sector,” Athanas continues. “Specialist lending thrives when traditional lenders tighten their credit practices. Resimac has long operated with conservative risk settings and aims to continue to offer creditworthy borrowers access to the funding they need.”
Taylor emphasises, “Responsible lending is embedded in how we operate. [Bluestone’s] model is built on understanding a customer’s full financial picture and ensuring any loan aligns with their needs and objectives.
“While we o er flexible income verification options, each one must meet our risk settings and funder requirements. As a non-bank, we work closely with our funders to ensure capital allocation and warehouse structures support sustainable lending, which are underpinned by strong governance and responsible practices.”
The best mortgage brokers under 35 are delivering results
MORTGAGE BROKING’S next generation is not waiting for anything to be handed down to them. The country’s most promising young brokers need no invitation to step up and make a serious impact. In some cases, they are already reshaping how things are done and delivering o -the-charts numbers within two years of accreditation.
Now in its 15th edition, MPA’s Rising Stars
2026 report reveals several common threads among the best mortgage brokers under 35:
• Delivery of strong results combining high settlement activity with the consistency of seasoned advisers
• Conversion of complex scenarios into workable approvals, reflecting preparation and credit fluency, along with
the confidence to pursue pathways others overlook
• Increasing client reliance on their ongoing guidance, reinforcing a move towards relationship-led advice
• Referral-driven pipelines and repeat business, pointing to trust earned through responsiveness and sustained client care even as workloads expand
• Leadership emerging organically ahead of typical career milestones, through knowledge sharing, process refinement, adoption of new tools, and active support for colleagues
In a more than 22,000-strong broking community, the Rising Stars have distinguished themselves. Eligible nominees were aged 35 or younger and had settled more than $15 million in loans within the year ending 30 September 2025. Following company nominations, peer input and editorial review, 39 brokers earned a place on MPA’s prestigious list. Their progress and potential o er a preview of the professionals guiding the broker channel through its next phase.
The rise of this group of outstanding performers is unfolding in a mortgage sector operating at a historic scale with broking density greater than ever. Australia’s residential home loan market exceeded $2.41 trillion
Bluestone Home Loans is proud to sponsor MPA’s Rising Stars Special Report and celebrate the talented new brokers shaping the future of our industry. Our entire business is built around the broker channel, with 100% of our home loans written through brokers. We value the relationships, trust and expertise that underpin every partnership.
We’ve long believed that brokers play a vital role in helping customers navigate complex lending needs. The Rising Stars featured this year embody
in November 2025, with banks’ housing loan books expanding 6.36% over the past year. Mortgage brokers facilitated 77.3% of all new residential loans in the September 2025 quarter, settling approximately $130.23 billion, according to the MFAA. This makes Australia one of the most broker-reliant markets globally.
Opportunity, however, arrives with tighter lending settings. APRA’s threepercentage-point mortgage serviceability bu er remains in place, and from 1 February 2026, banks will be limited to making no more than 20% of new mortgage loans to borrowers with a debt-to-income ratio of six times income or more, measured separately for owner-occupier and investor lending. Competition continues to intensify as the broker population has risen 3.66% since 2024, even as borrower trust remains strong, with 82% of clients reporting high confidence in the broker relationship, the FBAA’s Consumer Access to Mortgages 2025 report shows.
For young mortgage professionals, momentum is harder to win. Deals require increased structuring, credit appetite is less forgiving, and clients expect advice that remains sound as circumstances change. Early success now points to capability rather than favourable conditions. Industry leaders say the definition of emerging talent has
the innovation, commitment and customer-first mindset that keep the channel strong and evolving.
To all the finalists, congratulations. Your drive and achievements reflect the broker community’s bright future, and we’re excited to see where your careers take you. Bluestone is proud to stand beside you and support the next generation of industry leaders.
evolved in tandem with these demands.
“A Rising Star today is someone who brings energy, curiosity and a strong work ethic into a highly competitive environment,” says XIN Mortgage founder and director William Xin. “They respond quickly, take ownership of outcomes and keep building their technical knowledge. Just as important, they show professionalism and a genuine commitment to helping clients make sense of more demanding lending decisions.”
Specialist Mortgage finance director Helen Avis agrees, noting that early di erentiation has become critical.
“To stand out, brokers need to bring something di erent,” she says. “Without an established reputation, strong communication and technical knowledge matter even more. Success now comes from e ort, consistency, persistence and disciplined work.”
Over the past year and a half, rising property prices have raised the entry bar for buyers at the same time as higher interest rates have cut borrowing power, making purchase enquiries harder to convert.
The environment has grown more contested, both within the broker channel and from banks’ direct channels, while frequent lender policy changes have raised the technical demands on new entrants. With cashback incentives removed and refinancing
MPA invited the most impressive mortgage companies in the country to nominate high-performing achievers for the 15th annual Rising Stars list.
Brokers presented their submissions, detailing why each individual deserved to be considered, and recommendations were then taken from their peers to decide who made the final cut. After thoroughly reviewing all entries, the MPA team narrowed down the list to 39 Rising Stars who have made the most significant impact on the industry through their financial results, determination and drive.
The MPA Rising Stars report is proudly sponsored by Bluestone Home Loans.
“I refuse to compromise on how I structure my day. My schedule has to reflect what needs to be accomplished, and I make sure it gets done”
Ashlen McKenzie, In nity Group Australia
activity slowing, young mortgage professionals are creating opportunities rather than relying on deal flow coming to them.
“Overall, young professionals are facing fewer natural opportunities and greater di culty in
*39 brokers selected nationwide
turning enquiries into settled outcomes,” says Xin. “This means investing time in personal branding, marketing and building strong referral relationships, while also delivering reliable, high-quality service.”
Ashlen
McKenzie –Infinity Group Australia
Age: 31
Location: Queensland
Hallmarks: empathy, client advocacy, compliance credibility
In her first 12 months as an accredited finance strategist, Ashlen McKenzie settled more than $126 million across 204 loans, eclipsing the roughly $6 million national benchmark for entry-level brokers. She sustains a 98% lead-to-settlement rate, a perfect submission-to-approval record, frequent one-touch approvals and turnaround times measured in days, all while managing a pipeline exceeding
100 active clients. The figures point to a broker able to carry a substantial workload without weakening borrower confidence or decision quality.
“I’ve learnt that I need to set my expectations up front with my clients,” she says. “I am very open and honest with my clients, and I think that’s why they are patient and honest with me.”
Her influence is most visible in di cult files. McKenzie regularly advances applications declined elsewhere, structuring deals within policy limits and negotiating exceptions where viable pathways exist. Clients navigating separation, high-interest debt or age-related constraints feature prominently, each outcome shaped through preparation and lender advocacy.
“A lot of other brokers just put them in the hard basket because it’s not easy money,” McKenzie says. “It’s not about the money when you are able to help these people change their lives financially. You are making a di erence to them.”
Industry recognition has followed. She received Infinity’s Young Gun Award in 2025 and was named a finalist for Young Gun of the Year at the Australian Mortgage Awards, alongside maintaining a five-star client rating driven by repeat business.
McKenzie’s approach to clients traces back, in part, to growing up in a singleparent household, an experience that shapes a style rooted in empathy as well as results.
“The level of trust clients have shown me in this role isn’t just about structuring loans; it’s about being a genuine adviser”
Ayaan Ismail, In nity Group Australia
full year as an accredited broker, she settled more than $100 million in loans, placing her output at nearly 20 times the typical level for new brokers.
“What’s surprised me most is how quickly clients begin asking for advice that goes far beyond the transaction itself,” she says. “They open up about personal goals, family pressures and long-term wealth plans, trusting me to guide decisions that impact every part of their life.”
Ismail’s performance keeps pace with an increasing client base. She maintains a conversion rate above 80%, secures frequent one-touch approvals and retains every client, indicating borrower confidence.
Ayaan Ismail –
Infinity Group
Australia
Age: 34
Location: Queensland
Hallmarks: strategic depth, long-term thinking, trust building
Commercial traction arrived quickly for finance strategist Ayaan Ismail. In her first
Viewing her role as ongoing after settlement, Ismail o ers strategies that start with a restructure to strengthen a client’s position, which often leads to an investment purchase that accelerates paying o their home loan.
“The real outcome isn’t just approval; it’s progress,” she says.
Structuring capability has become Ismail’s defining strength, along with how she identifies workable routes through lender policy for borrowers initially declined elsewhere. In one case, she enabled clients running up against age and equity barriers to secure
full-term lending and acquire multiple investment properties.
In another, she repositioned a household following renewed employment, supporting debt reduction and subsequent portfolio growth within a year.
She approaches each file with the client’s longer-term financial goals in mind. Repeat business continues to follow, reflecting the trust she builds.
“I can usually tell it’s going to be longterm when the conversation goes beyond the loan and into their life goals, family plans and future investments,” she says. “When a client trusts me enough to be open about their concerns and asks for my advice rather than just a rate comparison, that’s when the relationship shifts. It feels less like a transaction and more like becoming part of their financial journey.”
Working with borrowers ranging from trades to professionals and first-time investors, she delivers the same level of attention regardless of borrower profile. With Certificate IV completed and a diploma underway, Ismail’s technical development matches her sparkling on-the-ground performance.
Age: 26
Naseem (Nas) Rasekh –The Australian Lending & Investment Centre
Location: Melbourne
Hallmarks: technical depth, education mindset, tech adoption
Investment lending manager Naseem Rasekh has settled nearly $36 million in loans, becoming the youngest professional at The Australian Lending & Investment Centre (ALIC) to surpass that milestone within two years of accreditation.
His annual settlements have doubled, largely through referrals and repeat clients,
“Being a high performer requires me to uphold the highest standards in supporting those around me, delivering strong client outcomes and consistently maintaining high settlement volumes”
Nas Rasekh, The Australian Lending & Investment Centre
pointing to trust built through consistent delivery. Rasekh’s portfolio spans residential, commercial and investment lending, with many files requiring structured guidance.
That judgement rests on an unusually broad foundation. Before accreditation, Rasekh progressed through roles in client service, credit analysis and transitional broking, developing fluency in assessment, compliance and lender expectations that now translate into strong approval outcomes.
He has also been an early adopter of ALIC’s AI-enabled client platform, using data-led scenario modelling to support faster assessments and more informed recommendations.
“Di erent roles have allowed me to see every aspect of the broking process and the client experience, which enables me to provide more tailored and strategic advice,” he says. “While technology assists with eciently gathering and processing data, it has not replaced the need for human judgement in understanding clients, building strong relationships and structuring deals that align with their specific needs.”
Rasekh is frequently called upon to rework scenarios declined elsewhere, sequencing decisions to reopen borrowing pathways and position clients for future opportunity. More than 80% of new business arrives through referral, supported by a perfect fivestar review record.
He also mentors junior colleagues and contributes market insight drawn from frontline experience.
first-time investors, self-employed applicants and those navigating non-standard circumstances. Education anchors the model. Structured savings guidance, post-settlement resources and planning support position lending within a longer financial framework.
“Finance can feel overwhelming and exclusionary, especially if you’ve never been taught how it works,” Clarke-Jacobs explains. “Education matters to me because confidence changes outcomes. When people understand their options, they make better decisions and feel empowered rather than intimidated.”
Kobe ClarkeJacobs –Finance with Kobe
Location: Melbourne
Hallmarks: entrepreneurship, education, brand-building
Entrepreneurial drive defines the early career of Finance with Kobe founder and principal broker Kobe Clarke-Jacobs. In less than two years, she has built the company into a rapidly expanding brokerage, writing more than $48 million across 75 loans in 2025 while establishing a brand that resonates with emerging borrowers.
“From the beginning, I wanted something sustainable and bigger than just me,” she says. “Building a business with systems, values and a clear purpose meant I could support clients properly, grow without burning out and create something that lasts long-term.”
Clarke-Jacobs’ practice concentrates on clients often overlooked by traditional pathways, including first home buyers,
The brokerage’s growth has been propelled by a digital-first strategy that converts financial education into engagement. Social platforms generate more than 40 qualified leads each month, strengthening visibility with younger demographics. Industry acknowledgement is already evident. Clarke-Jacobs won the 2025 FBAA New Broker of the Year award and was
“I’m mindful of showing that finance doesn’t have to be scary or salesdriven; it can be approachable and centred around real people and real lives”
Kobe
Clarke-Jacobs, Finance with Kobe
named Australian Broker Innovation Awards First Home Buyer Specialist.
She has also invested early in scalability, implementing structured systems, expanding operational support and beginning to build a team designed for sustained growth.
What 2026’s Rising Stars reveal about what it takes to succeed
Each member of this year’s cohort has forged their own path, but there are similarities and shared skill sets that have enabled them to get to where they are.
• Newer brokers are narrowing the experience gap faster than expected. The Rising Stars match established
advisers on structuring ability, responsiveness and client management, pointing to a market where di erentiation is earned through consistency rather than tenure.
• Reinforcing the market’s tilt towards advice-led broking. The Rising Stars show that brokers who can structure workable paths and remain engaged after settlement are strengthening client retention, extending the adviser’s role across the life of the loan.
• Deliberate pipeline building is key to growing a client base. Referral-driven flow and repeat clients indicate that sustained contact, visible expertise and organised follow-up are replacing reliance on ambient opportunity.
As part of our editorial process, MPA’s researchers interviewed the subject matter experts below for an independent analysis of this report and its findings.
Xianmin (William) Xin Founder and Director, XIN Mortgage
Helen Avis Director of Finance, Specialist Mortgage
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Ashlen McKenzie Finance Strategist
Infinity Group Australia
Phone: 0428 611 188
Email: ashlen.mckenzie@infinity.com.au
Website: infinity.com.au
Ayaan Ismail Finance Strategist
Infinity Group Australia
Phone: 0438 888 778
Email: ayaan.ismail@infinity.com.au
Website: infinity.com.au
Naseem Rasekh
Investment Lending Manager
The Australian Lending & Investment Centre
Phone: 0411 399 577
Email: nas.rasekh@alic.com.au
Abhishek Shahi Rethink Financing
Adi Hebbani STRUD Finance
Alan Sutcliffe Rate Group
Alexander Dihm Shore Financial
Alexandros Koutoulogenis The Finance Project
Angelique Dobbe Loan Market Edge
Ankur Ahluwalia Smartfinn Advisors
Website: alic.com.au/leadership/naseem-rasekh
Kobe Clarke-Jacobs
Director and Mortgage Broker
Finance with Kobe
Phone: 0438 32 32 33
Email: hello@financewithkobe.com.au
Website: financewithkobe.com.au
Victor Sem
Director/Mortgage Broker
Sem Financial Solutions
Phone: 0434 853 953
Email: victor@semfinancialsolutions.com.au
Website: semfinancialsolutions.com.au
Ben Morrison Inovayt
Campbell Moylan Borro
Charbel Azzi Simplicity Loans & Advisory
Christian Greco Greco Finance Co
Codie Richter Loan Market – Codie Richter
Cooper Sergis FRONT Financial
Daniel Pertot Pertot & Co Mortgage Brokers
Evan Reid Neo Finance Group
Iszac Wayne Momentum Wealth
James Andraos Grove Co.
James Bolte North Coast Financial Solutions
Jianhua Guan XIN Mortgage North Shore
Jordan Trevis EIF Finance
Joshua Diab Simplicity Loans & Advisory
Lachlan Pegler FRONT Financial
Lewis Wigington MortgageWorks
Maddie Walton Money Lounge
Max Lowry Sabea Financial
Meihan (Lynn) Huang XIN Mortgage Sydney
Melanie Smith The Brokerage
Michael Guerrera Refinancer Loans
Mick Ristevski Porta Finance Group
Nick Milojevic Home Loans Hub
Paul Kyriacou IFA Mortgages & Finance
Ross Hanrahan Strategic Brokers
Sanjna Pathania Refyne Loans
Stephanie D’Arcy Gippsland Finance Solutions
As XIN Mortgage enters its second decade in business, founder William Xin is gearing up for even bigger things to come
XIN MORTGAGE entered 2026 on a remarkable high.
The Sydney-based mortgage brokerage, led by William Xin (pictured front row, third from right), capped 2025 off with a celebration of 10 years in operation. The milestone coincided with the brokerage’s first-ever billion-dollar-plus year of settlements, alongside a placement in MPA’s prestigious Top Brokerages list.
“It feels very meaningful,” says Xin of his brokerage’s successes. “Ten years feels long, but it also went by very quickly. When I look back, I can clearly see how the business has changed and grown step by step.”
The early days of XIN Mortgage were mainly about “surviving and learning”, says Xin. A first-generation Chinese migrant, he admittedly had little experience, resources or even industry connections when he started out.
What he did have was guts, determination and a deep knowledge of IT that would prove to be his killer app.
Xin went to work designing a CRM system fit for a modern brokerage, built around “how our brokers work, how clients need to be looked after over time and how the business scales”.
This sophisticated platform has helped XIN Mortgage stay organised, on top of client relationships and able to deliver consistent service.
“Without strong systems in place, it would be very difficult to grow the business in a sustainable way,” says Xin.
Fast-forward to 2026 and XIN Mortgage has grown into a nationally recognised brokerage with 36 team members, a $2.4 billion loan book and, for the first time in its history, annual settlement volumes in excess of $1 billion.
To celebrate the 10-year anniversary, XIN Mortgage hosted a gala to thank the many clients, referral partners and industry partners that have supported Xin and his team over the years.
“Ten years feels long, but it also went by very quickly. When I look back, I can clearly see how the business has changed and grown step by step”
“Today, the business is much more stable and mature,” says Xin.
He’s proud not just of the numbers but of “the trust we’ve built with clients, the team we’ve grown together over the years and the strong reputation we’ve built in the industry”.
Guests heard of the many highs and lows that have defined XIN Mortgage’s journey so far, including clinching sixth spot in MPA’s 2025 Top Brokerages list.
“It felt very rewarding and encouraging” to receive the accolade, says Xin, stressing that it was not an individual but a team effort. “It
William Xin’s IT expertise became a powerful asset as he began his broking journey. Unimpressed by the CRM systems available to brokers, he decided to build his own from scratch, tailored to the industry’s needs.
From day one, Xin understood that broking is a relationship-driven business, reliant on consistently strong customer service. A key pain point he heard from clients was the lack of ongoing care once a loan had settled – no follow-up, no check-ins, no continuing service. Determined to change this, Xin developed a system designed to ensure no customer falls through the cracks. Over the past decade, this homegrown platform – incorporating unique origination, referral and client management tools – has continually evolved in line with customer demands and has been a major driver of XIN Mortgage’s success.
“In 2026, our focus is on building stronger foundations rather than just growing fast”
shows that our focus on service, systems and people is being recognised. At the same time, it motivates us to keep improving and raising our standards.”
The 10-year anniversary celebration also gave Xin an opportunity to reflect on his personal journey, from first-generation Chinese migrant to a prominent figure in the Australian broking space.
He thanked his mentors and role models, including Joseph Chou, whose own experiences of immigrating from China to Australia, and working his way up from pizza delivery man to head of a renowned property investment firm, served as a major source of inspiration for Xin.
Another major highlight for Xin has been how his budding business empire has evolved.
“We started with just one business –XIN Mortgage – and later expanded into financial planning and mortgage management. Today, we operate three local business units, supported by offshore service and IT companies.
“This structure allows us to have a centralised support group offshore, including marketing, personal assistants, loan support, IT, paraplanning and credit teams. They support our local businesses and allow us to move from focusing only on mortgage transactions to providing longterm support, comprehensive financial advice and much more value-added service to our clients.”
XIN Mortgage has also managed to flesh out its product range, with SMSF, commercial and full-scope financial planning part of the offering.
As for the challenges, they have not stopped coming. “As the business grew, the challenges changed,” says Xin. “Managing a larger team, maintaining service quality, improving internal workflows across different business units, adapting to regulation changes and dealing with market uncertainty all brought new pressure.
“With further growth and expansion, recruiting and retaining the right people,
Name: XIN Mortgage
Team size: 36
Location: Sydney
Product offerings: Residential, commercial, SMSF
Recent highlights: Latest loan book value $2.4bn; $1.07bn in settlements in 2025
as well as finding and growing the right business partners, became new challenges.
“The toughest part as a business owner is that every stage requires a different mindset and new skills. I either need to keep learning and improving myself or find the right talented people to work with.”
While XIN Mortgage’s first 10 years were marked by breakneck growth, the gears will shift slightly going forward.
“In 2026, our focus is on building stronger foundations rather than just growing fast,” says Xin. “We plan to continue strengthening our referral partnerships, business-tobusiness collaborations and marketing efforts to generate more leads for the team. We will also keep investing in our people and improving both service and sales, especially in the commercial and SMSF lending spaces.”
XIN Mortgage is also preparing to launch a membership program that will span both broking and financial planning teams to provide integrated support to members.
“This will help us build stronger long-term relationships with clients,” says Xin. “We will also continue focusing on leadership development and operational efficiency so the business can grow in a healthy and sustainable way over the next decade.”
The XIN Mortgage journey to date has clearly been paved with trials and tribulations, but the team, with William Xin in charge, is clearly only just getting started.
Joining the Air Force was “an amazing adventure I would not change – I met some lifelong friends ... travelled the world”
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2
1.3
Ex-Air Force engineer applies mission mindset to mortgages and clients
LEAVING SMALL-TOWN New Zealand at 19 to join the NZ Air Force was “an amazing adventure I would not change”, says Aussie Platinum Broker and franchisee Clay Bremer. He “jumped out of aircraft, swam in the deepest part of the ocean” and, crucially, learned that “none of us are as smart as all of us” – a team
mindset he now brings to his brokers and clients.
Working in aircraft engineering cemented a problem-solving approach that Bremer leans on in finance. “With aircraft it isn’t a matter of ‘if’ you can fix the problem; it’s about ‘how’ you can fix it,” he says. “I try to bring the same attitude to my
clients to give them ideas and goals for the future.”
The Royal New Zealand Air Force’s “values-based culture reinforcing discipline, integrity, accountability and respect” is the backbone of Bremer’s leadership at Aussie Tewantin and Coolum – and shapes how he now helps families secure homes.
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