The Fin

Is it even worth investing in property any more?

Wealth reporter Andrew Hobbs and property reporter Lucy Slade unpack our national obsession, explain why property has been such a powerhouse, and ask a previously unthinkable question: Is investing in property even worth it anymore? This podcast is sponsored by Workday FURTHER READING: Should you buy an investment property after the budget changes? New restrictions on negative gearing and capital gains tax alter the appeal of residential property. Economists say property prices might fall 10pc. So what?With property prices up 400 per cent since 2000, what does a 10 per cent drop actually mean? And what happened the last time governments made major changes to property taxes? Sydney renters drowning amid record rent risesRental prices are at record highs nationallypushing Sydney’s median to $841 a week, due to the vast shortage of homes availableSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is this the end of Australia's two-party system?

Political editor Phillip Coorey on the government’s budget backdowns, the increasingly crowded field in Australian politics and why it will be a bumpy two years to the next election. This podcast is sponsored by Workday Further reading: PM wins round one of the budget battle, at a costProper process, good policy and taxpayers’ money were among the casualties of this week’s rush to legislate the budget.Finally, the teals discover that the Senate is where it’s atBy forming a new party – Community Strong Australia – lower house independents are finally realising that true policy influence lies in the upper house.While Hanson stumbles, Taylor’s Coalition is quietly sinkingOne polling setback does not a crisis make for One Nation, but it is a reminder that major parties are subject to more questioning and scrutiny.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sizzle or fizzle: Will investors make money from SpaceX?

Chanticleer columnist Anthony Macdonald and technology editor Paul Smith on the investment case for SpaceX, whether there’s enough money for the other AI mega floats and why Australian investors are all in. This podcast is sponsored by Aussie Broadband. Further reading:SpaceX is the first of three sci-fi IPOs with truly insane mathsElon Musk has shot for the stars with the first of three huge AI-based floats that ask investors to believe the companies can boldly go where no one has gone before.Fears of ‘AI Strait of Hormuz’ as Trump’s Anthropic ban shocks businessLabor’s Ed Husic and some of Australia’s top tech leaders warn Donald Trump’s export ban on the latest Anthropic AI models exposes a national over-reliance.How SpaceX turned the IPO curse into a goldmineThe real genius of the company’s historic $2 trillion public listing isn’t the valuation – it’s how it hacked the market’s ultimate gatekeepers: passive funds.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did KPMG learn nothing from the PwC tax leaks scandal?

On The Fin podcast this week, professional services editor Edmund Tadros on the KPMG allegations, and why they might be more damaging than the PwC tax leaks scandal.This podcast is sponsored by Aussie Broadband. Further reading:Move over PwC: Why KPMG audit leaks are the ultimate betrayalWhy the big four firm’s misconduct could be worse than the tax leaks scandal, and a blockbuster hearing date is set for June 19. Plus, are you in talent debt?KPMG audit leaks scandal – everything you need to knowKPMG Australia faces a crisis following a whistleblower’s allegations that partners used confidential client data to win audit work.KPMG barred from bidding for federal work for three monthsThe firm has agreed to stop bidding for federal government work while the Finance Department investigates its handling of a whistleblower complaint.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will Macquarie burst Australia’s banking bubble?

Associate editor Joyce Moullakis and Chanticleer columnist James Thomson on how Macquarie crashed the big four bank’s mortgage party, why deposits are next and whether the banking bubble is about to pop.This podcast is sponsored by Aussie Broadband. Further reading:Macquarie banks on tech nerds to smash big four’s mortgage oligopolyWhen it came to building up its retail banking business, the Silver Doughnut has taken inspiration from America’s tech giants – not its banking rivals at home.The bank bubble is popping. An AI winter may be coming nextBank stocks have quietly slipped into a correction as the sector is suddenly hit by structural pressures. AI-driven cuts may be the answer to holding the line.The budget killed our property super cycle. What comes next?The way the budget has deliberately blown up the 30-year housing super cycle raises uncomfortable questions about Australia’s economic future.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.