Podcasts about Westpac

Inflation has hit 4.1% - the highest level in more than two years. Economists had expected it surge to somewhere between 3.9 and 4.1 percent. However, the end result is well below some previous forecasts, which reached 4.9%. If we ignored the surging fuel prices, Westpac economists reckon inflation would be about 2.8 percent. So what does this actually mean for the cost of living, for interest rates, and for the story of the New Zealand economy in 2026? Today on The Front Page, NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann is with us to unpack how we got to 4.1%, what’s really driving the numbers, and what comes next for households, businesses, and the path back to stable prices. Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network. Host: Chelsea DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Property investors are waiting for prices to fall, but hesitation could be creating the biggest missed opportunity in today's market. On The Smart Property Investment Show, Liam Garman is joined by Emilie Lauer and Julian Barnes to discuss the biggest stories shaping the market, including falling mortgage demand, shifting investor sentiment, and new opportunities for buyers. The trio explores why more investors are considering new builds following the federal tax changes, while warning that complex contracts and project delays can quickly turn a good deal into a costly mistake. They also discuss the rush into self-managed super funds (SMSF) ahead of the residential borrowing deadline, Westpac's latest lending changes, and why interest rate expectations remain divided. Finally, the episode examines why softer competition, increased vendor discounting, and a more balanced market could give prepared investors greater negotiating power than they've had in years.

The frustrating reality of having hard-earned commissions ripped away for reasons entirely out of your control has been the bane of the industry for years, but the fight to make them fairer has come back into the spotlight again. Join host Annie Kane, commercial content writer Ben Squires, and senior journalist Charlie Tchetchenian as they review the news of the week. The team looks at the FBAA's recent submission to government flagging how clawbacks might amount to an unfair trading practice, One Nation's proposed 30-year government-backed mortgages, and the latest levy costs from ASIC. This week, they discuss: How the FBAA is taking the fight over "unfair and inequitable" lender clawbacks directly to Treasury. Why the MFAA is demanding that home lending be placed at the very front of the government's new digital identity rollout. The looming 17 per cent surge in ASIC levies that is set to hit credit intermediaries and aggregators where it hurts. And much more! News stories mentioned: Clawbacks under fire as FBAA slams lender tactics https://www.theadviser.com.au/broker/48678-fbaa-urges-crackdown-on-unfair-lender-practices MFAA says lending must sit at heart of verifiable credentials https://www.theadviser.com.au/broker/48683-mfaa-says-lending-must-sit-at-heart-of-verifiable-credentials ASIC levies surge for credit intermediaries https://www.theadviser.com.au/compliance/48667-asic-levies-surge-for-credit-intermediaries One Nation proposes government-backed 30-year fixed mortgages https://www.theadviser.com.au/borrower/48672-one-nation-proposes-government-30-year-fixed-mortgages Non-banks plugged into open banking data grid https://www.theadviser.com.au/lender/48669-non-banks-plugged-into-open-banking-data-grid Westpac locks in major cash rate prediction https://www.theadviser.com.au/borrower/48662-westpac-locks-in-major-cash-rate-prediction Commercial Finance Awards launches for 2026 https://www.theadviser.com.au/broker/48668-commercial-finance-awards-launches-for-2026

Send Us A Message! Let us know what you think.Is the Reserve Bank's latest interest rate hike a sudden shock to the system, or is it actually the clearest sign yet that the economic fog is finally lifting? In this episode of the Week in Review, Debbie Roberts from Property Apprentice breaks down the wave of fresh real estate data for the week ending Friday, 10th of July, 2026. While the mainstream media headlines are busy dancing in panic over the central bank's shift to 2.5%, the underlying economic metrics tell a completely different story—revealing massive silver linings for both property buyers and landlords who look at the numbers with total discipline. The Five Core Topics Discussed:Topic 1: The Consensus OCR Reduction in Stimulus – Breaking down the RBNZ's unexpected decision to raise the Official Cash Rate by 25 basis points to 2.5%, why peak inflation has officially been slashed, and why interest rates may come down faster than bank economists previously projected. Topic 2: The Widening Regional Market Fracture – A deep dive into the latest QV House Price Index showing national values dropping slightly by 0.4%, while the market splits along strict regional lines with Christchurch outperforming Auckland and Wellington. Topic 3: Why "Risky" Properties are Outperforming the Broader Market – Analyzing the bombshell Cotality report revealing that flood-susceptible homes have gained 26.1% in value since 2020—outgrowing unaffected zones as cost-conscious buyers hunt out $100,000 upfront discounts. Topic 4: The Auckland Rental Market Winter Reset – Looking past the headline shock of an 10.9% drop in rental enquiries to reveal why tenant demand remains fundamentally strong year-on-year, and how available stock listings have expanded buyer selection by 10.9%. Topic 5: The Pervasive Fall of Household Interest Costs – Unpacking the latest Westpac household finances chart pack proving that household interest spending has successfully declined for a fifth consecutive quarter, heavily supported by a 3.8% climb in disposable incomes. 

The S&P/ASX 200 has closed flat, despite Donald Trump saying the US would reinstate a blockade on Iranian ships transiting through the Strait of Hormuz and impose a 20 per cent toll fee. As a result, crude prices surged in their biggest one-day increase since 2020. For more, Stephanie Youssef spoke with Marcus Today senior market analyst Henry Jennings. The latest consumer sentiment reading by Westpac and the Melbourne Institute has shown confidence rose to 83.9 in July, as lower petrol prices and easing interest rate expectations provided some relief for households, though pessimists still outnumber optimists. For more, Stephanie Youssef spoke with Westpac senior economist Matthew Hassan.The S&P/ASX 200 has closed flat, despite Donald Trump saying the US would reinstate a blockade on Iranian ships transiting through the Strait of Hormuz and impose a 20 per cent toll fee. As a result, crude prices surged in their biggest one-day increase since 2020. For more, Stephanie Youssef spoke with Marcus Today senior market analyst Henry Jennings. The latest consumer sentiment reading by Westpac and the Melbourne Institute has shown confidence rose to 83.9 in July, as lower petrol prices and easing interest rate expectations provided some relief for households, though pessimists still outnumber optimists. For more, Stephanie Youssef spoke with Westpac senior economist Matthew Hassan.

Weekly Political Panel: Simon Watts and Carmel Sepuloni; Police president questions need for move-on bill; Westpac leader on concerns over Iran war fallout; Prominent doctors seek overhaul of public healthcare; Law firms place less emphasis on grades alone

New research shows most Kiwis are worried about the impact the Iran war is having on their back pockets, and that was before President Trump declared the war back on this week. Reuben Tucker, Westpac NZ's Managing Director of Institutional and Business Banking spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

New data shows that business confidence has picked up for in the June quarter, but Middle East tensions and higher fuel prices remain a concern. The latest NZIER survey shows a net 12 percent of business owners are feeling positive - up from just 1 percent in March. Westpac senior economist Michael Gordon says things are changing day-to-day, and it's unclear where things will end up. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New data shows that business confidence has picked up for in the June quarter, but Middle East tensions and higher fuel prices remain a concern. The latest NZIER survey shows a net 12 percent of business owners are feeling positive - up from just 1 percent in March. Westpac senior economist Michael Gordon says things are changing day-to-day, and it's unclear where things will end up. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The S&P/ASX 200 has closed flat, despite Donald Trump saying the US would reinstate a blockade on Iranian ships transiting through the Strait of Hormuz and impose a 20 per cent toll fee. As a result, crude prices surged in their biggest one-day increase since 2020. For more, Stephanie Youssef spoke with Marcus Today senior market analyst Henry Jennings. The latest consumer sentiment reading by Westpac and the Melbourne Institute has shown confidence rose to 83.9 in July, as lower petrol prices and easing interest rate expectations provided some relief for households, though pessimists still outnumber optimists. For more, Stephanie Youssef spoke with Westpac senior economist Matthew Hassan.The S&P/ASX 200 has closed flat, despite Donald Trump saying the US would reinstate a blockade on Iranian ships transiting through the Strait of Hormuz and impose a 20 per cent toll fee. As a result, crude prices surged in their biggest one-day increase since 2020. For more, Stephanie Youssef spoke with Marcus Today senior market analyst Henry Jennings. The latest consumer sentiment reading by Westpac and the Melbourne Institute has shown confidence rose to 83.9 in July, as lower petrol prices and easing interest rate expectations provided some relief for households, though pessimists still outnumber optimists. For more, Stephanie Youssef spoke with Westpac senior economist Matthew Hassan.

Ricardo Gonçalves examines why Westpac Chief Economist Luci Ellis now expects the RBA to begin cutting interest rates in 2027 instead of 2028, while still forecasting two more rate rises before then. Plus, the Australian sharemarket ends a four-day losing streak, with miners leading the gains as gold and uranium stocks rally, while Telstra slips further following its recent network outage. Dianne Colledge from Morgans also joins the podcast to break down the day's market moves and discusses the latest wave of US IPOs.

Ricardo Gonçalves examines why Westpac Chief Economist Luci Ellis now expects the RBA to begin cutting interest rates in 2027 instead of 2028, while still forecasting two more rate rises before then. Plus, the Australian sharemarket ends a four-day losing streak, with miners leading the gains as gold and uranium stocks rally, while Telstra slips further following its recent network outage. Dianne Colledge from Morgans also joins the podcast to break down the day's market moves and discusses the latest wave of US IPOs.

For the first time in three years the Reserve Bank has lifted the official cash rate, economists are divided on whether that's the right call, although there's agreement more increases are coming before the end of the year. Westpac senior economist Michael Gordon spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Nicola Waldren has started, I assume, as she means to go on, with a shot across the bow at the Government. She is the new Restaurant Association head - her appeal is the one you thought it might be. She wants the Government to listen. She relitigates Covid. Lockdowns and slow border openings. The rates, the insurance, domestic consumer sentiment. She wants whoever wins the election to listen. I have sympathy for her. Good news: 1) the lockdown era is over. 2) The insurance “cost plus” rating era isn't over sadly, but things like rate caps may help. And 3) as for consumer sentiment, a couple of things. Firstly, sentiment is fine. Not right now, but pre-Iran we were off to the races, and we will be off to the races again. Iran was not our fault, was not the Government's fault, it was Trump's, and all we can do is suck it up. But those Q1 GDP numbers, along with their associated previous quarter revisions, showed this country was growing nicely. Westpac updated their data last week – they have increased growth for the rest of the year. So that should take care of that. But can I, as a restaurant goer, make an appeal to the Association, and indeed the industry? This is a two-way street. There is too much of the industry that, to put it bluntly, are useless. We are over hospo'd – every immigrant and their mum opens a takeaway or café or restaurant. They may or may not know what they are doing. Too many employ imbeciles who are not into service. Too many have nonsense hours. Too many offer inferior products at first class prices. We have an industry of two parts: well established, successful operators who get it, deliver it, and prosper as a result, and we have fly-by-nighters in a boom bust cycle going nowhere. The reason liquidations are so high in hospo is because most of them never stood a chance, because they didn't deserve to. Ask for all the government help you want, but help yourself first. Single out your rock stars and tell the others to replicate, or at least have a good crack at replication. Want for more, aim higher, work harder, be more determined. We have enough stars to know it's possible – the precedent is already there.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An economist believes there could be merit to introducing a capital gains tax as the International Monetary Fund releases New Zealand's report card. The IMF's recommending spending cuts and continued tax rises to support this. It also suggests we introduce a comprehensive capital gains or land tax. Westpac Chief Economist Kelly Eckhold told Ryan Bridge a capital gains tax could work for us, if done right. He doubts the country would get much money out of it, but suggests it would be useful in resetting the table in terms of the investment options people should be thinking about. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this Zero Limits Podcast Matty Morris chats with Jake Cleal-Cook NSW State Emergency Service and WestPac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter Rescue Crew OfficerJake Cleal-Cook is a Rescue Crew Officer with the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter Service in Sydney, where he specialises in helicopter winch operations. He has responded to major flood disasters across New South Wales, conducting winch rescues in conditions that are complex, rapidly changing, and where access, information and time are rarely on your side.Away from aviation, Jake is a senior flood rescue operator with the NSW State Emergency Service, and chairs the Service's Capability Development Group — a role through which he actively shapes how modern flood rescue capability is built and refined across the state.He is driven by a straightforward goal: better outcomes for people in their worst moments. That drive carries through everything he does — from operations, to capability development, to the conversations he hosts on his podcast, Rescue Ready, where he brings those learnings to a wider audience.Send us a text however note we cannot reply through these means. Please message the instagram or email if you are wanting a response. Support the showWebsite - www.zerolimitspodcast.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/zero.limits.podcast/?hl=enHost - Matty Morris www.instagram.com/matty.m.morrisFor the new Zero Limits Pre workout and creatine supplements head to link belowZero Limits Supplements - www.zerolimitssupplements.comSponsorsInstagram - @gatorzaustraliawww.gatorzaustralia.com15% Discount Code - ZERO15(former/current military & first responders 20% discount to order please email orders@gatorzaustralia.com.auInstagram - @3zeroscoffee3 Zeros Coffee - www.3zeroscoffee.com.au10% Discount Code - 3ZLimitsInstagram - @getsome_auGetSome Jocko Fuel - www.getsome.com.au10% Discount Code - ZEROLIMITS

ASB has joined Westpac in predicting the Reserve Bank will keep the Official Cash Rate on hold next month. The outlook has been revised after they previously predicted a hike when it's next reviewed on July 8th. However, ASB Senior Economist Mark Smith told Heather du Plessis-Allan that it'll be another close vote to stay at 2.25%. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ASB has joined Westpac in predicting the Reserve Bank will keep the Official Cash Rate on hold next month. The outlook has been revised after they previously predicted a hike when it's next reviewed on July 8th. However, ASB Senior Economist Mark Smith told Heather du Plessis-Allan that it'll be another close vote to stay at 2.25%. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the Cannes Sessions, Conor Byrne takes us through another packed day on the Croisette, starting with the CMOs in the Spotlight session featuring Jill Kramer of Mastercard, Michelle Klein of Westpac, Manuel “Manolo” Arroyo of The Coca-Cola Company, and Suhayl Limbada CMO of KFC India. There were big themes running through the day: how legacy brands stay useful, why marketers need to understand the P&L, what happens when creativity meets commercial pressure, and why the best brands do not throw away their distinctive assets just because the world has changed. There is also a brilliant conversation with Maddy Cooper, Founder and CEO of Flourish, on how AI can help marketers in regulated sectors get work to market faster without creating a compliance nightmare. That matters because the future of marketing is not just more content, more formats and more channels. It is whether brands can still make sharp, responsible, commercially useful work at the speed the market now demands. The Digital Voice team were also out on the Croisette speaking to marketers including Langton McCombe from Particular Audience, Rory McDonald from Market Media at The Warehouse Group, and Alex Springer from OpenAttribution.org about retail media, incrementality, AI, ROAS, creativity, and what Cannes is really for and James Taylor CEO of Particular Audience.And, of course, there was a big moment for Ireland, with Heineken's The Pub That Refused To Die winning a Grand Prix, plus a look ahead to the Cannes Young Lions results where Darragh Spain and Fardosa Flanagan from 123.ie represented Ireland in the Young Marketers category along with lots of amazing talent representing Ireland.01:18 – CMOs in the Spotlight: Mastercard, KFC India, Westpac and Coca-Cola02:01 – Why Mastercard is re-examining the Priceless platform03:14 – KFC, Gen Z, universal truths and the role of the Colonel04:19 – Westpac, jingles, legacy brands and speaking the language of the CFO05:14 – Coca-Cola, creativity, behaviour and why great teams matter more than big budgets11:28 – Spending time with Jonnie Cahill and the value of generous senior marketers15:03 – Maddy Cooper on Flourish, AI, compliance and regulated marketing18:29 – Inside the Cannes Lions work exhibition21:00 – Ireland's Grand Prix moment for Heineken23:58 – Langton McCombe on retail media, commerce media and incrementality26:32 – Rory McDonald on creativity, ROAS and business outcomes29:54 – Alex Springer on attribution, AI, influence and the future of content34:26 – Final reflections from Cannes Sessions 2026Thanks to The Digital Voice for partnering on the Cannes Sessions.Find out more:The Digital Voice: thedigitalvoice.co.ukFlourish: flourishingworld.comThat's What I Call Marketing: follow the podcast for more conversations with the people shaping modern marketing.That's What I Call Marketing is where marketers come for real conversations about brand, B2B, creativity, effectiveness and the future of the profession.Hosted by Conor Byrne, the show features conversations with CMOs, marketing leaders, agency leaders, authors, thinkers and practitioners about what good marketing looks like in practice.Listen, follow and find more episodes at: https://www.thatswhaticallmarketing.comConnect with Conor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/conorbyrneirl/If you enjoy the show, please follow, subscribe and leave a review. It helps more marketers find the conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Signs the economic fallout from the Iran conflict may be shorter-lived than feared. Westpac economists are forecasting brighter outlooks for inflation, interest rates and the wider economy, as fuel price concerns ease. They expect GDP growth to reach two percent this year, while inflation is forecast to peak this quarter before declining. Chief Economist Kelly Eckhold told Mike Hosking the oil market has been more resilient than many expected. He says headline inflation globally isn't rising as quickly, and the urgency central banks previously felt to raise rates is no longer there. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when a software company building AI tools for HR teams uses those same tools to transform itself? Josh McKenzie, Chief Technology Officer at ELMO Software Group, shares how his team rebuilt their entire software development lifecycle around AI agents and redrew the boundaries of every engineering role. He breaks down how to lead that shift without losing people's trust, why domain expertise is the real SaaS moat, and how the right analytics partner unlocks decisions HR teams have never been able to make before. Key Moments: The SaaS Moat: What AI Can't Erode (06:37): Josh argues SaaS value runs deeper than software. Accountability, compliance, and domain expertise keep purpose-built platforms irreplaceable. How ELMO's AI Journey Started (10:23): ELMO started by mapping every role against AI impact. Turning that lens on their own engineering team set the full transformation in motion. Why ELMO Chose ThoughtSpot Over Building Its Own Analytics (18:42): A homegrown tool requiring too much user expertise led ELMO to look elsewhere. ThoughtSpot Spotter and natural language capabilities closed the gap. Why HR Teams Are the Most Underserved (20:21): Payroll here, benchmarking data there, performance data somewhere else. HR teams have been drowning in spreadsheet hell for years. Josh explains how AI finally closes that gap. From Engineer to CTO: Build a Team of Complements (24:17): Josh reflects on the mindset shift that defined his path to the C-suite. Great leadership means building a team whose strengths cover your blind spots. Key Quotes: “ ThoughtSpot was particularly interesting for us… The big thing for us was the Spotter product. Allowing users to bridge that data analyst gap was really important. So, that product has yielded really, really great results for us.” - Josh McKenzie “I think it's really important that we instill a culture where it's okay to fail, and it's okay to make a mistake. You want to be vocal about your mistakes so others don't repeat the same mistake.” - Josh McKenzie “My belief is you want to focus on your secret sauce. So, what is the thing that makes your business super successful? And for us, that's where we came to look at ThoughtSpot. It has a really nice visual user interface and allows you to create some great dashboards.” - Josh McKenzie Mentions Hiring and Onboarding Taking Longer Despite Widespread AI Adoption, New Australian Research Finds The 5 Levels of AI Coding (Why Most of You Won't Make It Past Level 2) WireGuard: Next Generation Kernel Network Tunnel | Jason A. Donenfeld Guest Bio As the Chief Technology Officer, Josh McKenzie is responsible for both technical strategy and delivery (build, release and operation) of the ELMO product suite. Josh has a proven track record of successfully leading technology teams and implementing transformative strategies that enhance efficiency, drive growth, and elevate overall technological capabilities. Josh has 20 years of experience in technology, primarily in FinTech. Before joining ELMO in 2024, Josh held executive and senior positions at Lendi Group, OFX, ASX and Westpac. Josh holds a Bachelor of Computer Science from the University of Newcastle and an MBA from the University of Sydney. Hear more from Cindi Howson here. Sponsored by ThoughtSpot.

Westpac Strategy Thoughts Post NSWTC & QTC FY27 Budget Updates-20260624_000039UTC-Meeting Recording by Westpac Bank

Other banks are expected to follow suit as ANZ drops its mortgage rates from today. Its standard one-year fixed home loan rate's dropping by 14 basis points to 5.25%, while the two and three-year rates will be cut by 20 basis points. The move comes after Westpac cut its longer-term home loan rates last week. Loan Market CEO Bruce Patten told Mike Hosking banks are all a bit quiet at the moment. The mortgage advisor says they had a really busy period before Christmas and then the Iran war kicked off in February, so he thinks the move is an attempt to stir up business. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Confidence in the employment market is at an all-time low, with the Iran war still rippling through the economy. A Westpac-McDermott Miller survey for the June quarter reveals confidence fell for public and private sector employees. A net 60 percent of respondents believe it's hard to find a job, up from 46 percent last quarter. Westpac senior economist Michael Gordon says employment confidence has been weak over the past five years, and this data represents another step backwards. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Confidence in the employment market is at an all-time low, with the Iran war still rippling through the economy. A Westpac-McDermott Miller survey for the June quarter reveals confidence fell for public and private sector employees. A net 60 percent of respondents believe it's hard to find a job, up from 46 percent last quarter. Westpac senior economist Michael Gordon says employment confidence has been weak over the past five years, and this data represents another step backwards. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Westpac bank chief executive Anthony Miller told Tom Elliott trying to regulate flexibility will undoubtedly lead to complication.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Το διοικητικό συμβούλιο της αποθεματικής τράπεζας, Reserve Bank of Australia, συνεδριάζει σήμερα και αύριο και οι Westpac, ANZ, Commonwealth Bank και NAB προβλέπουν ότι θα αποφασίσει να αφήσει αμετάβλητα τα επιτόκια στο 4.35%.

An economist says it won't be long until 91 petrol is consistently back down at $2.80. The US and Iran peace agreement to cease hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz is sending positive signals for the global oil industry. Westpac chief economist Kelly Eckhold says prices will stay low, once ships are moving normally. "We know that there's pretty low inventories out there around the world at the moment, so we need that supply chain to be working at full tilt for a while so that all of those things can get replenished." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Adviser's What's Making Headlines podcast, your go-to source for the week's biggest stories in finance and real estate, distilled into bite-sized insights. Broker market share has finally crossed the historic 80 per cent threshold, but how much higher can the third-party channel actually go before artificial intelligence kicks in? Join host Annie Kane, senior journalist Charlie Tchetchenian, and commercial content writer Ben Squires as they dissect a monumental week of news for the mortgage industry. The team discusses National Australia Bank, major warnings from ANZ and Westpac predicting a substantial slowdown in mortgage lending, and a steep drop in investor activity off the back of proposed federal budget tax changes. This week, they discuss: The MFAA data revealing broker market share surged to a record 81 per cent in the March quarter. Why National Australia Bank completely reversed its rate forecast to predict the next cash rate move will be down. How major banks are forecasting a sharp slowdown in mortgage credit and property price growth for fiscal year 2027. And much more!

The global AI investment boom is gathering pace, with OpenAI signalling its intention to eventually join rivals Anthropic and SpaceX on the US sharemarket, potentially fuelling another wave of capital raising worth hundreds of billions of dollars across the industry. SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves speaks with Loftus Peak Chief Investment Officer Alex Pollak about what the AI listing race means for investors, while Adam Dawes from Shaw and Partners breaks down a softer day on the ASX after the long weekend. Plus, Matthew Hassan, Senior Economist at Westpac, explains why Australians are turning away from property as the wisest place for savings and what weakening consumer sentiment could mean for the economy.

The chief economist of one of the largest banks across the Tasman is quashing talk of New Zealand becoming Australia's tax haven. A recent Australian newspaper declared the country's recent capital gains tax changes had lifted our appeal to local property investors due to our lack of capital gains, stamp duty, or land tax. Westpac Group's Luci Ellis told Heather du Plessis-Allan there won't be as many concessions for new purchases of existing homes for rent, but negative gearing is still an option on new builds. She says while some Aussies might find a New Zealand property attractive, if what they're motivated by is the tax concessions, they can still buy a new build in Australia. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former broker was charged this week with alleged involvement in the Penthouse Syndicate's mortgage fraud ring. The Adviser senior journalist Charlie Tchetchenian and commercial content writer Ben Squires uncover the latest in the mortgage fraud investigation and the ongoing work being done to stamp out criminal activity. The duo also review the fallout from the incoming negative gearing and CGT changes, looking at which lenders are moving quickly to strip negative gearing benefits from their serviceability calculators, and new dramatic projections warning of a sharp drop in investor activity. This week, they discuss: The major NSW Police update on the "Penthouse Syndicate" mortgage fraud investigation, which has seen a Sydney broker and bank manager arrested over tens of millions of dollars in fraudulent loans. How major lenders – including NAB, ANZ, Macquarie, and Suncorp – are rapidly updating their serviceability calculators to eliminate negative gearing benefits for established properties following the federal budget announcements. The federal court ordering Westpac to pay a $26 million penalty for repeatedly failing to properly process borrower hardship requests over a six-year period. And much more!

Boletín 27/05/26: Westpac recibe una multa de 26 millones de dólares por conducta negligente al no responder adecuadamente a clientes con dificultades económicas.

**Westpac fined $26 million over financial hardship cases** National Reconciliation Week marked around the country... - **ウェストパック銀行は、経済的に困窮している顧客に対して適切な対応をとらなかったとして、重大な過失行為により2,600万ドルの罰金を科されました。**オーストラリア統計局の最新データによると、オーストラリアのインフレ率は3年ぶりの高水準を記録した後、鈍化していることが示されました。SBSの日本語放送は火木金の午後１時からSBS3で生放送！火木土の夜10時からはおやすみ前にSBS1で再放送が聞けます。SBS日本語放送ポッドキャストから過去のストーリーを聞くこともできます。無料でダウンロードできるSBS Audio Appもどうぞ。SBS 日本語放送のFacebookとInstagramもお忘れなく。

Headlines: Inflation drops to 4.2% in year to April Biggest shake up in the employment system in decades Westpac hit with 26-million-dollar penalty Europe swelters in record summer heatwave NASA reveals plans to settle on the Moon Deep Dive: What caused the top boss of the National Anti-Corruption Commission to resign? We unpack Paul Brereton’s controversial tenure at NAC and who may be next to take on the top job... In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by UNSW Law Faculty Prof. Gabrielle Appleby. Read her article here: We need a new anti‑corruption commissioner. Here’s how to pick the right one Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

IS tej nkauj nyab rov qab los rau Australia, kho Australia cov kev pab nrhiav hauj lwm rau neeg Australia ua, NSW cov tshuaj flu vaccine, Westpac cov kev raug nplua, ASIO thiab Akram, tej lus hais rau lub limtiam Reconciliation Week, Ukraine tej cuab yeej tsov rog, Pope Leo 14 tej lus tawm tswv yim txog Aritificial Intelligence (AI), Cob Tsib yog ib lub ntawm kaum lub teb chaws tsim hlau muag, Cob Tsib cov kev tawm tsam nrog cov intellectual property copyright, lus lwm hau zos Xaysomboun cov kev thov txim, Thaib lub Supreme Court tsab cai Bad-Faith Criminal Litigation 2026.

Listen to the Top News of 27/05/2026 from Australia in Hindi.Find our podcasts here at SBS Hindi Podcast Collection. You can also tune in to SBS Hindi at 5 pm on SBS South Asian on digital radio, on channel 305 on your television, via the SBS Audio app or stream from our website.Sorry is not enough: Calls grow for action on Stolen Generations justice and healingNSW's first Migrant Workers Centre opens in Sydney to support temporary visa holders

Major changes announced to employment services for jobless Australians; Westpac fined $26 million over financial hardship cases; And in sport, more than $12 million announced to fund this year's Rugby League World Cup.

Everything starts in the mind – and in this episode of The Coaching Podcast, I sit down with Jaquie Scammell to explore what that really means for leaders navigating a fast-moving, AI-driven world. This is a conversation about perspective, presence, and performance – from how we manage our thoughts and energy in the micro-moments, to how we show up for others through feedback, coaching, and everyday service. We dive into the difference between being interested versus committed, why feedback is one of the greatest gifts you can give, and how leadership is ultimately about creating the conditions for people to thrive. About Jaquie Scammell Jaquie Scammell is the CEO and Founder of ServiceQ and one of the leading voices in service leadership today, known for helping organisations strengthen human connection in a world that is moving faster, becoming more automated, and asking more of its people. Her work sits at the intersection of leadership, culture and customer experience, where she partners with senior leaders to turn service from something people perform into something people live – embedded in behaviour, decision-making and the everyday moments that shape reputation. As the architect behind Service Habits™ and 5D Service Leadership™, Jaquie has developed practical operating systems that help organisations build cultures of consistency, ownership and care – not as concepts, but as capabilities that drive performance. She has worked across industries including aviation, banking, infrastructure and resources, with organisations such as BHP, Westpac, Melbourne Airport and Virgin Australia. A published, award-winning author, Jaquie is known for her ability to translate complex human dynamics into clear, actionable leadership. In the room, she brings both edge and empathy, creating environments where leaders are challenged to think differently, take ownership, and step forward with clarity. Connect with Jaquie Website: https://serviceq.co/ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jaquiescammell Company: https://au.linkedin.com/company/serviceq Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaquiescammellofficial/

An economist believes the Reserve Bank should raise the Official Cash Rate today to control inflation. The bank will release its first Monetary Policy Statement since war broke out in the Middle East, with most expecting it to hold at 2.25% and not rise until September. But Westpac Chief Economist Kelly Eckhold told Mike Hosking inflation was already at 3.1% before the war, and we'll likely spend time above 4% this year. He says six years of this decade will have seen inflation over 3%. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Changes flowing from the federal budget are already making their way into lending policy, with Macquarie Bank becoming the first lender to remove most negative gearing add-backs from its serviceability calculators for investment loans. The move follows the federal government's decision to restrict negative gearing to new builds, and brokers are now weighing up what it means for investor clients. On this episode of What's Making Headlines, The Adviser's editor Annie Kane, senior journalist Charlie Tchetchenian, and commercial content writer Ben Squires unpack the early fallout from the federal budget and what it signals for the market ahead. They also unpack the latest RBA minutes and what new unemployment data means for the rate outlook, with one major bank already adjusting its near-term forecast. This week, they discuss: A new note to brokers from major lender Westpac. New figures revealing a sharp lift in first home buyer inquiries from younger cohorts. What brokers can expect from New Broker Academy 2026. And much more!

Send us a question/idea/opinion direct via text message!The Cotality-Westpac First Home Buyer Report May 2026In this special guest episode Kelvin Davidson is joined by Satish Ranchhod from the Westpac Economics team to discuss the latest co-branded First Home Buyer Report.They cover off the Iran conflict, the implications for NZ's economy, inflation, and interest rates, then what it might all mean for first home buyers.Lately FHBs have remained a dominant force in the property market, accounting for high shares of transactions, and also getting 'more house for their money' - supported by a soft market, plenty of listings, and low deposit lending allowances at the banks.Indeed, Westpac's own data shows that the average LVR has recently gone above 80%, while the average FHB age has dipped a little.Ultimately, it's a continued good news story - and FHBs still have reason for optimism in the coming months too.Sign up for news and insights or contact on LinkedIn, X @NickGoodall_CL or @KDavidson_CL and email ngoodall@cotality.com or kdavidson@cotality.comThis podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice. The hosts are not licensed Financial Advice Providers in New Zealand. All information is of a general nature and does not take into account your personal situation or goals. Please consult a qualified professional before making any financial decisions.

Peter Merel: When a Hub-and-Spoke Executive Hijacks Your Agile Transformation — And What to Do About It Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes.   "Either you're going to do what you know works, or you're going to step away. Either way, you're not going to do damage to your client." - Peter Merel   After a successful transformation at Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Peter Merel moved to Westpac, another major Australian bank, expecting to replicate the same approach. He found an executive who appeared eager to support an agile transformation — but this executive saw agile as the ideal form of micromanagement. Everything and everyone revolved around this one individual, and as Peter began facilitating conversations that didn't hub on the executive, the executive felt disempowered. Peter was blind to this dynamic — he had never encountered it before. The situation deteriorated because Peter had been hired to run a push-based transformation, when he knew from experience that only pull-based transformation works. At Commonwealth Bank, he had built a thin steel thread from business through to DevOps with a small group, proved it worked, and then grown it organically. At Westpac, he let himself be persuaded to push change into the organization, and it compromised everything. The lesson Peter shares is stark: if you can't do what you know works, and you can't step away, then you are the problem. He also warns that when coaches fail this way, they make life harder for whoever comes next — a responsibility that's easy to overlook in the moment.   In this segment, we talk about pull-based transformation and why push-based change programs consistently fail in large organizations.   Self-reflection Question: Are you currently in a situation where you've compromised on your approach to change — and if so, are you doing more damage by staying than you would by stepping away? Featured Book of the Week: The Agile Way by Peter Merel Peter's own book, The Agile Way, is his modern translation of the Tao Te Ching — a 3,000-year-old text he argues was originally about how to achieve agile development in organizations large and small. Peter first started translating this text in 1989, and after decades of iteration, the book draws connections between ancient wisdom and modern agile practices — XP, Lean, Theory of Constraints, throughput accounting, and permaculture. As Peter explains, "The sage in Lao Tzu is Shang Ren — agile people. This is a book about agile people, agility, and it always was." The book is available at agile.way.pm, and Kent Beck, who wrote the foreword, calls it "a dangerous little book" — dangerous in the same sense as the word extreme.   [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Westpac's CEO says they have noticed changing customer habits in the backdrop of a tougher economy. The bank's half-year profit is up four percent, with its net profit rising to $545 million dollars. It's down 19 percent on the previous six months. CEO Catherine McGrath says businesses are getting good at controlling what they can. "There's a little bit less money being spent on things like hospitality and retail spend - with businesses, some of them are pausing a bit on whether they want to do their expansion plans." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The local market slid by 0.2% today as investors juggled a hawkish Reserve Bank and a dangerous escalation in the Middle East. Overnight, oil prices jumped 5% following missile exchanges in the Strait of Hormuz, including reports of Iranian strikes on a UAE port and the US sinking Iranian boats. This "oil shock" pushed the RBA to raise interest rates to 4.35%—a third consecutive hike that effectively undoes all of 2025’s rate cuts. Westpac fell 2.3% after missing half-year profit expectations, while Flight Centre defied the gloom, surging 4% despite a $10 million hit from war-related disruptions. Energy stocks rose 1% as crude prices climbed. Steve Daghlian and Laura Besarati are Market Analysts at CommSec. Each episode, they break down the day's market movements and explain what the numbers really mean. The content in this podcast is prepared, approved and distributed in Australia by Commonwealth Securities Limited ABN 60 067 254 399 AFSL 238814. The information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider the appropriateness of the information before acting and if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send us a question/idea/opinion direct via text message!The April Home Value Index (HVI) results are in, and while the national median technically rose by a modest 0.1%, the broader picture is one of a flattening market. This week, Nick Goodall and Kelvin Davidson peel back the layers on the regional divide - why are Auckland and Wellington softening while Christchurch and Invercargill continue to climb?We also dive into a surprising dose of 'hopium' from the March economic data. With filled jobs up 0.3% and the NZ Activity Index (NZAC) hitting its fastest growth in over three years, we ask if the economy is showing more resilience than expected, or if these are simply lagging indicators of a pre-conflict world.This week, we discuss:April HVI results: The national median is up 0.1%, but regional variability is the real story.The regional divide: Why Auckland's supply pipeline and Wellington's 'vibe' shift are weighing on values compared to the farming-backed strength of the south.March economic resilience: Filled jobs grew by 0.3%, and the NZAC rose 3.2% - could Q1 GDP be stronger than the RBNZ expects?Labour market preview: Why we expect the unemployment rate to hold steady at 5.4% this week.RBNZ watch: A preview of Wednesday's Financial Stability Review (FSR) and the ongoing quest for transparency.First home buyer report: A teaser for our upcoming release with Westpac, including surprising data on buyer ages.Sign up for news and insights or contact on LinkedIn, X @NickGoodall_CL or @KDavidson_CL and email ngoodall@cotality.com or kdavidson@cotality.comThis podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice. The hosts are not licensed Financial Advice Providers in New Zealand. All information is of a general nature and does not take into account your personal situation or goals. Please consult a qualified professional before making any financial decisions.

One of the country's biggest banks is calling on social media giant, Meta, to do more to protect New Zealanders from fraud and scams on its platforms. Westpac New Zealand CEO Catherine McGrath spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Westpac's chief economist says the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz will have very serious consequences for the economy. Kelly Eckhold spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The ASX edges higher despite fresh warnings from corporate Australia, with Qantas and Westpac flagging the financial impact of the Middle East conflict as cost pressures build. Ricardo Gonçalves unpacks the latest market moves and what they mean for inflation and interest rates, speaking with NAB Chief Economist Sally Auld and LGT Wealth Management CIO Scott Haslem, while new data reveals rental stress has hit record levels. Cotality's Head of Research Gerard Burg joins to explain why Australians are now spending more than ever on housing and what's driving the shortage.