Sun, 18th Jan 2026

This episode of Financial Services Online with Paige Estritori focuses on the significant developments in Australia's financial services industry, touching on the insurance, home loans, and regulatory sectors. Positive trends in the insurance industry are discussed, with strong after-tax profits raising hope for potential premium adjustments. In the home loan sector, discussions center on the Coalition's proposal to ease stiff home loan approval criteria for first-time buyers, creating some controversy against APRA's concerns about systemic risks due to high household debt. The podcast also explores a new APRA cap on high debt-to-income home loans, likely to affect investors and borrowers with high DTI ratios. Finally, it considers the rise in business and home lending per the Reserve Bank's recent report, which evidences robust housing market demand but also signals the need for diligent financial monitoring for sustainable growth.n