Welcome to Money on the Mic - the finance podcast where we talk through the real conversations Australians are having about their mortgages, finances, and the economy.
We give you clear, practical insights from experienced brokers.
Listen as we break down what’s happening in the Australian property market, explain key lending concepts, and walk through real scenarios so you can see how it all works in practice.
Because when you understand this stuff, you can use it to your advantage.
From first home buyers and refinancing strategies to property investing and borrowing power, our goal is to help you feel more confident, informed, and in control of your financial future.
We cover everything from:
- Home loans in Australia
- Mortgage broker insights
- First home buyer tips
- Property investment strategies
- Refinancing and interest rates
- Borrowing capacity and lending rules
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Victoria's Biggest Economic Turning Point In A Generation
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Welcome back to Money on the Mic. This week Brodie and Darren break down Victoria. State debt sits at approximately $170 billion, roughly 50% higher than New South Wales. The state election is in November. The question we're answering is whether Victoria is a "catching a falling knife" market or a genuine contrarian investment opportunity.
THE BREAKDOWN
Victoria is carrying roughly $170 billion in state debt, which as a share of state economic output (Gross State Product) is the highest of any Australian state by a wide margin. The debt has accumulated over more than a decade of Labor state government under Dan Andrews and then Jacinta Allan.
The state has introduced approximately 33 different state taxes, several of them added in the past few years. The cumulative effect has been to drive investor sentiment out of the state and accelerate internal migration to other states.
The Coalition have committed to cutting at least 7,000 public sector jobs (which they estimate will save $22 billion), applying a 10-year hiring freeze on back-office public sector roles, and reversing several of the tax reforms of the past few years.
Brodie and Darren then work through the investment case. Melbourne is currently priced at material discounts to Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth. Two-bedroom fringe-Melbourne units around $420,000 are returning $500 to $600 a week, which is a yield profile that doesn't exist in Perth or Brisbane at that entry point.
The verdict is a considered "get ready to buy" rather than "buy now." The strongest window is likely the December-to-February listing spike as sellers who missed the spring campaign discount. Regional Victoria also gets a mention as a market that has performed better than metro Melbourne over the same period.
In this episode, we chat about:
Why Victoria is carrying the highest state debt in Australia at approximately $170 billion.
The 33 state taxes and which ones matter most for investors.
The Coalition's plan for 7,000 public sector job cuts and a 10-year hiring freeze.
The Windfall Gains Tax and why it's the most extreme rezoning tax in the country.
Why internal migration is accelerating out of Victoria.
The contrarian investment case: is Melbourne a bargain?
The RBA prediction: hold for the rest of the year, cuts in 2027.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro: Victoria is broke
01:30 Why Victoria Is Australia's Most Indebted State
04:00 Something Needs To Change
07:00 The Coalition's Job Cuts And Hiring Freeze
10:30 The 33 State Taxes Killing Investor Sentiment
16:00 Why Victorians Are Leaving The State
19:00 The Case Against Melbourne Right Now
23:00 The Contrarian Case: Is This The Buying Window?
29:00 Regional Victoria Vs Metro Melbourne
38:00 The RBA Prediction: Hold Now, Cuts In 2027
40:00 Wrap
This podcast provides general information only and has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. We recommend that you consider whether it is appropriate for your circumstances and your full financial situation will need to be reviewed prior to acceptance of any offer or product. It does not constitute legal, tax or financial advice and you should always seek professional advice in relation to your individual circumstances.
All information is correct at the time of filming.
4 Aug 2026
The CBD Is No Longer the Safe Property Investment Bet
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Welcome back to Money on the Mic. This week, Brodie sits down with Julia for a first-interview conversation on why the "buy within 5 to 10 kilometres of the CBD" rule most Australian property investors have followed for decades is no longer good advice.
THE BREAKDOWN
Three structural forces are reshaping the case for Australian investment property.
The first is the tax settings. The 2026 federal budget restricted negative gearing to new-build investments, removing the deductibility benefit for established property. Most inner-city investment stock is established. That change alone materially shifts the after-tax return on CBD investment property.
The second is that working from home is structural. According to ABS data, approximately 36% of employed Australians usually work from home in some capacity. That number is still trending upward. Businesses are downsizing their CBD floor space. The old logic of "buy where the workers are" assumed workers had to be in the CBD. That assumption no longer holds. The shift is not a COVID hangover, it's a durable change in how Australian work is structured.
The third is yield. Cotality's most recent data shows regional dwelling values up 9.7% versus capital city dwelling values up 8.2% over the same calendar year. Regional growth is now outpacing capital growth in the current cycle. The yield math is even more striking. A $1.2 million property in a regional hub returning $750 a week produces a materially better rental yield than a $2 million CBD property returning $1,000 a week. When interest rates sit at 5 to 6%, the yield gap matters. When negative gearing is no longer available to offset shortfalls, the yield gap becomes the whole return equation.
Brodie also unpacks what to look for in a regional investment, what to avoid, and why mining-town yields are misleading despite looking attractive on paper.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
00:40 Welcome To The First Interview Episode
01:50 How The 2026 Tax Changes Reshaped Investment
03:35 Why Working From Home Is Structural
18:50 The Cotality Data: Regional Growth 9.7% vs Capitals 8.2%
12:00 The Yield Math That Changes The Case
20:20 What To Look For In A Regional Investment
25:00 Wrap
SOURCES
Cotality Article: https://discover.cotality.com/hubfs/Article-Reports/COTALITY%20HVI%20Jan%202026%20FINAL.pdf (https://discover.cotality.com/hubfs/Article-Reports/COTALITY%20HVI%20Jan%202026%20FINAL.pdf)
ABS WFH Statistic: https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/earnings-and-working-conditions/working-arrangements/latest-release (https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/earnings-and-working-conditions/working-arrangements/latest-release)
This podcast provides general information only and has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. We recommend that you consider whether it is appropriate for your circumstances and your full financial situation will need to be reviewed prior to acceptance of any offer or product. It does not constitute legal, tax or financial advice and you should always seek professional advice in relation to your individual circumstances.
All information is correct at the time of filming.
27 Jul 2026
The home loan assumptions that cost you more than money.
Got a question? Drop it in the comments below or reach out to the team via our website https://moneyonthemic.com/contact/ (https://moneyonthemic.com/contact/)
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Mortgage assumptions, redraw vs offset, fixed rate break fees, the loyalty tax - Brodie walks through five things Australian borrowers assume that end up costing them more.
The Breakdown
Branch access: most bank branches do not have home lending specialists in them. The appeal of a branch is really an appeal to a personal relationship and a familiar face. A mortgage broker delivers exactly that, with access to every lender, not just one.
Redraw versus offset: both save the same amount of interest, dollar for dollar. The difference is ownership. Redraw funds have technically been applied to the loan - the lender controls access. During COVID, at least one bank froze redraws under its own terms and conditions. Offset funds are the borrower's, held in a transaction account the lender cannot freeze.
Fixing the rate: certainty at a cost. Additional repayments are capped (typically $10,000 to $15,000 per year). Breaking a fixed rate can trigger fees up to $50,000, depending on rate movements and time remaining. No offset on fixed rates. Split loan structures offer a middle ground.
The loyalty tax: banks do not proactively call long-term customers to offer better rates. They respond to the threat of departure. Brokers do rate reviews every six to twelve months and will take the file to market if the lender does not reprice competitively.
Pre-approvals: an online pre-approval from a bank portal is not a fully assessed pre-approval. No payslips, no credit officer, no verification - just self-reported inputs. A fully assessed pre-approval is a different and significantly stronger product.
Closing line: "Safe choice and the smart choice aren't always necessarily the same thing. That's the gap I spend most of my working life sitting in."
Chapters
00:00 Five Mortgage Assumptions That Cost Australian Borrowers More: What Brodie Hears From Clients
01:45 Bank Branch Access: Why Having a Friendly Face is Important.
04:10 Redraw vs Offset: Why Extra Repayments Are Not as Simple as They Sound
07:28 Fixed Rate Break Fees: What Certainty Actually Costs
10:42 The Loyalty Tax: Why Banks Do Not Reward Long-Term Customers
14:46 Pre-Approvals: Generic vs Fully Assessed, and Why the Difference Matters
This podcast provides general information only and has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. We recommend that you consider whether it is appropriate for your circumstances and your full financial situation will need to be reviewed prior to acceptance of any offer or product. It does not constitute legal, tax or financial advice and you should always seek professional advice in relation to your individual circumstances. All information is correct at the time of filming.
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