The Fin

Hosted by Australian Financial Review

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Episodes

100

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN-AU

About the show

A weekly podcast from The Australian Financial Review that examines the biggest stories in business, markets and politics, and why they matter, explained by the best financial journalists in the country. Search The Fin and follow us wherever you get your podcasts.

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60 recent

August 12, 202623 min

Why this property downturn is different to the rest

Deputy economics editor Michael Read on what’s going on in the housing market, whether it’s the correction we had to have and why the government doesn't want to call it that. This podcast is sponsored by Westpac Further reading: RBA warns house prices have further to fall Despite the softness in the housing market, RBA governor Michele Bullock said another interest rate rise remains squarely on the table. Labor MPs are lost in housing’s hall of mirrors Prices are falling, but the government is reluctant to claim the credit. So its MPs have resorted to rhetoric about renewed optimism for first home buyers. Property price slide exposes political peril for Albanese government As the sharpest housing market correction in almost four years gathers pace, the Albanese government is discovering that voters do not necessarily welcome falling values. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

August 5, 202624 min

Did we stop worrying about the oil price too soon?

Angela Macdonald-Smith and Ryan Cropp on the reasons we all stopped freaking out about the oil price and why that was premature. This podcast is sponsored by Westpac Further reading: Labor’s plans to source more fuel leaves shipments stranded at sea The government has been accused of picking winners for its subsidised import plan, which has created a glut and forced vessels to wait offshore for months. Ampol rakes it in on refining, trebling first-half profits Bumper first-half gross profits have been driven by soaring returns on turning crude oil into petrol and diesel during the conflict in the Middle East. Oil refiners chase sweeter support deal despite surging profits Ampol and Viva Energy are pushing for a major overhaul of subsidies to keep their refineries running for longer, even as their own earnings are soaring. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

July 29, 202632 min

Inside Andrew Forrest’s $60 million war on Facebook

Legal affairs reporter Janek Drevikovsky on why Twiggy is taking on Meta, whether he can win and what happens if he does. This podcast is sponsored by Westpac Further reading: Meta admits it wiped key evidence in Forrest stoush The social media giant has accepted it should be punished for not preserving copies of Facebook scam ads featuring the mining billionaire’s likeness. ‘Dad, it’s a fraud’: Call that sparked Forrest’s $60m war on Facebook Why is Andrew Forrest fighting one of the world’s biggest tech companies in one of California’s most storied courts – and spending his own money to do it? Forrest pressures local ad body to penalise Meta over scam revenue Andrew Forrest has written to IAB Australia asking for the group to consider Meta’s membership, after news the company made more than $20 billion from scams. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

July 22, 202632 min

Australia's AI gamble: Inside Albanese's plan to bring big tech to heel

James Thomson and Ronald Mizen on why CEOs are losing patience with the AI giants, what’s driving the government’s policy shift, and whether Anthony Albanese is overplaying his hand. This podcast is sponsored by Workday Further reading: Could China’s AI bombshell spark a ‘Lehman Bros moment’ for markets? A new model that threatens OpenAI and Anthropic could have huge ramifications for global indices, which have soared on the artificial-intelligence trade. The AI pivot: inside Albanese’s plan to bring big tech to heel Riding high on global momentum from the under-16 social media ban, the prime minister is stepping up for a high-stakes public brawl with AI tech giants. National security concerns drove Labor’s pivot on AI As the technology increasingly encroaches on defence capabilities, cyber experts and the opposition warn that Australia must redouble its efforts to master it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

July 22, 20260 min

Trailer: How I Made It returns July 29

How I Made It is back with host Lauren Sams. Don’t miss season six as we uncover how Australia’s top entrepreneurs built their fortunes and what they learnt along the way. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

July 15, 202630 min

KPMG’s masterclass in how not to respond to a crisis

Professional services editor Edmund Tadros on the fallout from the KPMG scandal and what the government might do to bring the big four accounting firms into line. Further reading: KPMG’s ‘10-hour masterclass in how not to respond to a crisis’ By repeating PwC’s crisis-management mistakes, KPMG has forced a reluctant federal government to finally pull the trigger on unprecedented structural reforms. No timeline for big four reform despite PwC, KPMG scandals Assistant Treasurer Daniel Mulino says reform is “real priority for the government”, but concedes there is “no particular timeline” for new rules. Inside Project Magenta: How Allens gave KPMG a pass on leaks The law firm cleared the company of partner misconduct without interviewing a single outsider and using a literal reading of the allegations. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

July 8, 202623 min

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 rises Rental prices are at record highs nationallypushing Sydney’s median to $841 a week, due to the vast shortage of homes available See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

July 1, 202627 min

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 cost Proper 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 at By 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 sinking One 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.

June 24, 202629 min

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 maths Elon 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 business Labor’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 goldmine The 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.

June 17, 202625 min

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 betrayal Why 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 know KPMG 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 months The 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.