Behind The Numbers

Financial wellbeing isn't built in a single moment. It's shaped by the decisions we make throughout our lives.
In the first episode of our special three-part Future-Proof series, proudly presented by REI Super and Real Estate Industry Partners, Sadhana Smiles is joined by Jacqui Barnes from LSRE and Khyati Halani from REI Super for an honest conversation about the financial realities many women experience throughout their careers.
From parental leave and career breaks to business ownership, separation and rebuilding, they explore how life's milestones can quietly shape our long-term financial future, and why so many women find themselves playing catch-up with their superannuation.
Drawing on their own personal experiences, the conversation explores the financial lessons they wish they'd learnt earlier, the barriers that stop women engaging with their super, and why confidence, education and open conversations matter just as much as dollars and cents.
Whether you're just starting your career, returning to work, running your own business or beginning to think more seriously about retirement, this episode is a reminder that it's never too early, or too late, to take control of your financial future.
Because the best time to start thinking about your super was years ago. The second-best time is today.
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In this episode of Behind the Numbers, we unpack the 2026 Federal Budget and what it could mean for housing, renters, investors, inflation, and the broader Australian economy.
The government says the proposed changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax are designed to improve affordability and create more opportunity for first home buyers. But with Australia already facing critically low rental vacancy rates, rising construction costs, and not enough housing supply, we ask whether these reforms risk placing even more pressure on renters.
We discuss:
why the Budget may have created two property classes in Australia
what happens if investors leave the market faster than new housing is built
how rising rents could become an unintended consequence of the reforms
why regional Australia could feel the pressure hardest
and whether younger Australians are facing a very different pathway to wealth creation than previous generations
We also explore the broader economic contradiction sitting underneath the Budget, with inflation still being driven by global instability and energy costs while the Reserve Bank continues using higher interest rates to slow the economy down.
It is a direct and practical conversation about what these changes could actually mean for everyday Australians over the next few years.
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The RBA’s latest rate decision was anything but straightforward.
A 5–4 split has pushed the cash rate higher, at a time when households are already facing rising fuel costs and ongoing pressure on affordability.
So what problem is this rate rise actually trying to solve?
In this episode, we unpack the growing divide in economic thinking. Is inflation being driven by demand, or by global forces beyond our control? Are we moving too early, or doing what’s necessary to stay ahead?
We also explore what this means on the ground. Consumer confidence, spending behaviour, borrowing capacity, and the early signals in the labour market.
And with the RBA acknowledging that a recession is a risk, we ask the question many are starting to consider.
How far does this tightening cycle go, and what does the economy look like on the other side?
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In this episode of Behind The Numbers, we unpack exclusive REIP behavioural data revealing how the market is really moving beneath the headlines.
Seller appraisals strengthened early in the year, signalling renewed intent. Buyer inspections have been active but sensitive to interest rate shifts. And in the rental market, actual lease outcomes are showing tighter conditions than advertised rents suggest.
We also examine the growing conversation around potential changes to the Capital Gains Tax discount. What could this mean for investor confidence, rental supply and long-term market stability?
Joining us are Cate Bakos and Cameron Kusher as we explore how policy signals, investor sentiment and real-time activity are shaping the next phase of the property cycle.
This is not speculation. It’s behaviour.
And the signals matter.
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January has confirmed what many already felt – Australia’s property market is moving, but not in one direction.
In this January Behind the Numbers wrap, we unpack a highly diverse market. National home values lifted modestly, but growth varied sharply by location. Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart and Canberra recorded slower conditions, while Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide and Darwin continued to outperform. Several regional markets also posted stronger growth than their capital city counterparts.
We explore why Melbourne unit prices are now rising faster than houses, driven largely by first home buyers seeking affordability and proximity. We also discuss investor behaviour, rental yields, and why Melbourne is increasingly viewed as a value market.
On lending, higher prices are translating into larger loan sizes, with average settled loans up around 11 per cent year on year. With inflation back in focus and interest rate expectations shifting, we look at how borrowers are responding, particularly around serviceability, pre-approvals and timing.
Migration, supply constraints and tight rental conditions continue to shape outcomes across the country, keeping vacancy rates low and rents under pressure.
As always, this episode focuses on what the data is really telling us – and how Australians are navigating the market right now.
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