Australian Finance Podcast

In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, Owen Rask speaks with Sarah Court, Chair of ASIC, about what the regulator is seeing across the financial system and why everyday Australians need to pay closer attention to how their money is being handled. Sarah explains ASIC’s role in licensing firms, holding financial institutions to account and stepping in when consumers or investors are at risk.

The core of the conversation focuses on mortgage offset accounts after ASIC uncovered failures at banks that meant some customers were not receiving the interest savings they expected. Sarah explains why these problems matter, why legacy systems and weak processes can create real financial harm, and why banks need to fix the basics instead of assuming customers will spot issues themselves.

Owen and Sarah also talk about scams, risky investments and the importance of slowing down before handing over money. She shares why MoneySmart can be such a valuable resource for Australians who want plain-English guidance on investing, risk, scams and personal finance. If you want a practical reminder to check your offset setup, stay sceptical of fast-talking investment pitches and understand where ASIC fits into the system, this episode is worth your time before it costs you real money.

Episode resources

– Moneysmart

– Investment scam alerts - ASIC

– Professional registers search - ASIC

– Buy Gemma’s book “The Money Reset”

– Speak with the Rask Advice team

– Ask a question (select the Finance podcast)

Show partner resources

– View VanEck's range of funds

– Join Pearler using the code "RASKSWITCH" and get $32 of Pearler Credit

– Get 50% off your first two months using PocketSmith

– Whatever comes next for your business, power it with Stripe

EOFY deals to know about - ending June/July 2026

– 1 free trade per month, for 12 months, for new Pearler customers

Rask resources

– All services

– Financial Planning

– Invest with us

– Access Show Notes

– Ask a question

– We love feedback!

Follow us on social media

– Instagram: @rask.invest

– TikTok: @rask.invest

DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on it. If you’re confused about what that means or what your needs are, you should always consult a licensed and trusted financial planner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. Remember, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. Access The Rask Group's Financial Services Guide (FSG): https://www.rask.com.au/fsg
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In this episode of Australian Finance Podcast, Owen Rask sits down with Hayden Smith from Pearler to compare the money lessons they wish they had understood much earlier. What starts as a conversation about investing quickly turns into a practical discussion about the decisions that shape wealth in Australia: where you live, how you save, what tax does to returns and why good habits matter more than clever hot takes.

Owen and Hayden unpack why owner-occupied property is hard to ignore in Australia, especially when cheap leverage and the pension rules tilt the game. They also explain why many investors obsess over the wrong fees, how tax quietly touches almost every money decision, and why a strong saving rate still does more heavy lifting than most people expect.

The episode also explores the emotional side of investing. From scary headlines and market downturns to the temptation to constantly switch strategies, they make the case that behaviour is often more important than intelligence. Along the way they touch on diversification, ETFs such as VAS and IVV, the trade-offs between property and shares, and the value of staying invested for the long term.

If you want a grounded Australian take on money, investing and building wealth, this episode is full of honest lessons, avoidable mistakes and practical perspective.

Episode resources

– Buy Gemma’s book “The Money Reset”

– Speak with the Rask Advice team

– Ask a question (select the Finance podcast)

Show partner resources

– View VanEck's range of funds

– Join Pearler using the code "RASKSWITCH" and get $32 of Pearler Credit

– Get 50% off your first two months using PocketSmith

– Whatever comes next for your business, power it with Stripe

EOFY deals to know about - ending June/July 2026

– 1 free trade per month, for 12 months, for new Pearler customers

Rask resources

– All services

– Financial Planning

– Invest with us

– Access Show Notes

– Ask a question

– We love feedback!

Follow us on social media

– Instagram: @rask.invest

– TikTok: @rask.invest

DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on it. If you’re confused about what that means or what your needs are, you should always consult a licensed and trusted financial planner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. Remember, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. Access The Rask Group's Financial Services Guide (FSG): https://www.rask.com.au/fsg
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In this episode of Australian Finance Podcast, Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell unpack a grab bag of money questions that hit a lot of Australians at exactly the wrong time: when tax, super and property rules all seem to be changing at once.

They break down Div 293 tax, catch-up concessional contributions and whether high-income earners should still tip more into super when the tax savings are not as generous as they first appear. From there, they work through the proposed SMSF borrowing crackdown, why using super to buy residential property is about to get harder, and what that could mean for people who were relying on leverage inside a self-managed fund.

The episode also tackles real first-home and upgrade dilemmas. Should a couple buy together or separately if they want to maximise schemes and flexibility? If you outgrow your townhouse, should you sell it, keep it as an investment, or use the six-year rule before making a call? Owen and Gemma explain the trade-offs around negative gearing, CGT, debt, cash flow and lifestyle without pretending there is one perfect answer.

If you want a practical Australian guide to super tax, property strategy and avoiding expensive mistakes, this episode turns a messy week of policy changes into something far easier to understand.

Episode resources

– Buy Gemma’s book “The Money Reset”

– Speak with the Rask Advice team

– Ask a question (select the Finance podcast)

Show partner resources

– View VanEck's range of funds

– Join Pearler using the code "RASKSWITCH" and get $32 of Pearler Credit

– Get 50% off your first two months using PocketSmith

– Whatever comes next for your business, power it with Stripe

EOFY deals to know about - ending June/July 2026

– 1 free trade per month, for 12 months, for new Pearler customers

Rask resources

– All services

– Financial Planning

– Invest with us

– Access Show Notes

– Ask a question

– We love feedback!

Follow us on social media

– Instagram: @rask.invest

– TikTok: @rask.invest

DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on it. If you’re confused about what that means or what your needs are, you should always consult a licensed and trusted financial planner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. Remember, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. Access The Rask Group's Financial Services Guide (FSG): https://www.rask.com.au/fsg
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Australian Finance Podcast, Owen Rask sits down with Brandon van der Kolk, the creator behind New Money and author of New Money Strategy, to unpack how a former physio built one of Australia’s biggest investing channels and what he has learned from nearly a decade of teaching people about money online.

Brandon explains why he rebranded from Aussie Wealth Creation to New Money, how YouTube rewards trust and evergreen content, and why relying only on AdSense leaves creators without a moat. He also shares the investing framework that shaped his work, drawing on Warren Buffett, Phil Town and Berkshire Hathaway to explain how he thinks about business quality, management, valuation and margin of safety.

Owen and Brandon also explore what value investing still looks like in 2026, why Google and Meta stood out to him as long-term winners, what he learned from the Berkshire shareholder meeting in Omaha, and why most investors need a process they can actually stick to. They also touch on Brandon’s book launch, the business of creator-led media and the lessons that matter most if you want to become a calmer, more deliberate long-term investor. If you want a conversation that blends creator economics, practical investing and Buffett-style thinking, this is a strong place to start.

Episode resources

– Buy The New Money Strategy

– Buy Gemma’s book “The Money Reset”

– Speak with the Rask Advice team

– Ask a question (select the Finance podcast)

Show partner resources

– View VanEck's range of funds

– Join Pearler using the code "RASKSWITCH" and get $32 of Pearler Credit

– Get 50% off your first two months using PocketSmith

– Whatever comes next for your business, power it with Stripe

EOFY deals to know about - ending June/July 2026

– 1 free trade per month, for 12 months, for new Pearler customers

Rask resources

– All services

– Financial Planning

– Invest with us

– Access Show Notes

– Ask a question

– We love feedback!

Follow us on social media

– Instagram: @rask.invest

– TikTok: @rask.invest

DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on it. If you’re confused about what that means or what your needs are, you should always consult a licensed and trusted financial planner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. Remember, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. Access The Rask Group's Financial Services Guide (FSG): https://www.rask.com.au/fsg
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Australian Finance Podcast host Owen Rask sits down with Hayden Smith from Pearler to answer one of the biggest questions investors ask once they get serious about money: should you take more control of your super, or leave it alone?

Using listener questions as the backbone, they unpack the practical differences between large super funds, direct investment options and self-managed super funds, then explain where people often get tripped up by acronyms, fees and structure. That includes HIN versus custodial models, whether brokerage costs really matter, what ETFs inside super can and cannot solve, and why an SMSF is not automatically the smarter move just because it feels more hands-on.

The conversation also widens into the trade-offs Australians face when building wealth more broadly, including leverage, investment property stress, negative gearing and the temptation to over-optimise every financial decision. Throughout the episode, Owen and Hayden keep coming back to the same idea: good investing should be simple enough to stick with, even when life gets messy.

If you have ever wondered whether to DIY your super, compare brokers, or rethink how much control you really need, this episode will help you sort the signal from the noise. It is a practical reminder that the best setup is usually the one you understand well enough to keep using for years.Australian Finance Podcast host Owen Rask sits down with Hayden Smith from Pearler to answer one of the biggest questions investors ask once they get serious about money: should you take more control of your super, or leave it alone?

Using listener questions as the backbone, they unpack the practical differences between large super funds, direct investment options and self-managed super funds, then explain where people often get tripped up by acronyms, fees and structure. That includes HIN versus custodial models, whether brokerage costs really matter, what ETFs inside super can and cannot solve, and why an SMSF is not automatically the smarter move just because it feels more hands-on.

The conversation also widens into the trade-offs Australians face when building wealth more broadly, including leverage, investment property stress, negative gearing and the temptation to over-optimise every financial decision. Throughout the episode, Owen and Hayden keep coming back to the same idea: good investing should be simple enough to stick with, even when life gets messy.

If you have ever wondered whether to DIY your super, compare brokers, or rethink how much control you really need, this episode will help you sort the signal from the noise. It is a practical reminder that the best setup is usually the one you understand well enough to keep using for years.

Episode resources

– Buy Gemma’s book “The Money Reset”

– Speak with the Rask Advice team

– Ask a question (select the Finance podcast)

Show partner resources

– View VanEck's range of funds

– Join Pearler using the code "RASKSWITCH" and get $32 of Pearler Credit

– Get 50% off your first two months using PocketSmith

– Whatever comes next for your business, power it with Stripe

EOFY deals to know about - ending June/July 2026

– 1 free trade per month, for 12 months, for new Pearler customers

Rask resources

– All services

– Financial Planning

– Invest with us

– Access Show Notes

– Ask a question

– We love feedback!

Follow us on social media

– Instagram: @rask.invest

– TikTok: @rask.invest

DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on it. If you’re confused about what that means or what your needs are, you should always consult a licensed and trusted financial planner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. Remember, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. Access The Rask Group's Financial Services Guide (FSG): https://www.rask.com.au/fsg
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices