The Numbers Game

Hosted by Nick Reilly, Jason Robinson

Business Entrepreneurship Education

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281

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Jun 2026

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About the show

The Numbers Game — It’s finance, investment and business but not as you know it. Each week Jason Robinson (CPA Accountant), Nick Reilly (Planner) come together to bring you strategy and advice around the importance of knowing your numbers in life and business. Numbers really do tell a story so let us help you make it a good one.

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60 recent

June 14, 202628 min

How to Know If Your Skills Transfer in an AI World

Over 9,000 Australian jobs have gone to AI this year and we're now second in the world for tech displacement. Nick reckons you don't need to be a tech expert to stay relevant. Your existing skills transfer to roles AI can't replace, you just need to know which ones and where. He's put together a 6-step playbook that walks you through assessing your own exposure, identifying what transfers, and making a move before your employer makes one for you. On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (00:19) AI Is Here and Jobs Are Changing in Australia (05:18) WiseTech, Telstra, Atlassian and 9,238 AI Job Losses (06:16) 1.3 Million Australians Changing Roles by 2030 (07:48) Why a Telemarketer Could Become an Account Manager (11:02) Which Jobs AI Can and Can't Do: 0.3% to 80% (13:06) How an Accounting Firm Is Rolling Out AI to Its Team (15:24) $10 Million Revenue with 30 Staff Instead of 50 (16:26) Why AI-Forward Companies Create More Opportunity (18:48) Capacity Is Why Clients Leave Their Accountant (21:01) Nick's 6-Step Playbook for Protecting Your Career (24:18) Don't Wait for Your Employer to Act (25:28) The Flywheel Effect When Teams Share AI Wins Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: hello@thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt. Hosts:Nick ReillyJason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

June 7, 202626 min

Victoria Owes $199 Billion | What It Means for Your Business

Victoria's $199 billion in debt, and if you're running a small business in this state, you're the one wearing it. Taxes keep climbing, businesses are going under at record rates, and the COVID levy that was sold as temporary isn't going anywhere. Jase has done the numbers on where the money went and what it means for Victorian business owners heading into end of financial year. On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (00:43) Victoria's $199 Billion State Debt (02:40) $1 Million a Day for 55 Years to Reach $199 Billion (03:53) What $199 Billion Could Have Built for Victoria (06:25) $43 Billion in Tax and Most of It Goes to Interest (07:23) How the Debt Hits Small Business Through Extra Taxes (09:09) Is Government Debt Really Good Debt (10:56) Real Margins at $1M, $5M and $10M Turnover (14:35) Victorian Insolvencies Up 48% and Projected to Rise 63% (15:31) Public Sector Staff Up 60% on 29% Population Growth (17:40) 18% CBD Vacancy and 16,000 People Leaving Victoria (19:21) How to Work Out What You'll Owe Victoria This Year (21:24) Review Your Business Structure Before 30 June (22:50) Director Penalty Notices and When to Get Help Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: hello@thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt. Hosts:Nick ReillyJason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

May 31, 202629 min

The Bank of Mum and Dad: A Financial Disaster Waiting to Happen?

The bank of mum and dad is now Australia's fifth largest lender, with $35 billion a year flowing from parents to kids trying to get into property. Most of it completely undocumented and with no plan for how it comes back. Nick's seen it go wrong firsthand, and this is what both sides need to hear before any money changes hands. On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (00:42) Australia's 5th Largest Lender Is the Bank of Mum and Dad (04:29) $35 Billion a Year and 60% of First Homeowners Need Family Help (05:58) Why Borrowing From Parents Has Zero Regulation (07:34) What Can Go Wrong When Family Money Is Involved (09:27) Why You Need a Loan Agreement Before Money Changes Hands (10:41) Do Your Parents Need This Money to Retire? (11:41) How Guarantor Loans Work and Why Parents Can't Sell (14:26) How Going Guarantor Could Cost Your Parents $200,000 in Super (17:44) A Real Divorce Case Where $100,000 Had No Paperwork (18:33) Parents Should Ask the Same Questions a Bank Would (21:58) How Gifts and Loans Can Impact Your Parents' Pension (24:33) When Reverse Mortgages Make Sense and When They Don't (26:44) Would You Do It? Nick's Answer as a Dad Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: hello@thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt. Hosts:Nick ReillyJason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

May 24, 202622 min

The $1,000 ATO Tax Deduction Explained | Should You Tick the Box?

The ATO is rolling out an automatic $1,000 tax deduction for millions of Australians, and it sounds like free money until you understand how deductions actually work. Jase has run the maths on what that $1,000 really puts back in your pocket at every tax bracket. Is this just another nice sell from the government, or is the box actually worth ticking? On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (00:21) The $1,000 Auto Tax Deduction Explained (00:57) Why a Tax Deduction Isn't a Tax Refund (04:09) What You Actually Get Back at Each Tax Bracket (05:29) The 70c Per Hour Work From Home Claim (07:25) Why the Average Aussie Claims $3,500 (08:31) Should the Deduction Be a Sliding Scale? (11:34) Easy Ways to Track Receipts and Kilometres (14:27) Why UK Workers Don't Lodge Tax Returns (16:08) When the $1,000 Deduction Starts (17:03) Super Contribution Cap Rising to $32.5K (19:51) Will the $20K Instant Asset Write-Off Stay? (20:54) Book Your Accountant Before 30 June Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: hello@thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt. Hosts:Nick ReillyJason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

May 17, 202626 min

The 5-Day Week Is 100 Years Old | Will AI End It?

The five-day work week hasn't changed since Henry Ford introduced it in 1926, and Nick reckons AI might be the thing that finally ends it. Thanks to AI productivity gains in service businesses are already real, and the question isn't whether people can get five days of work done in four, it's whether business owners will pass that time back or just pocket the margin. Do you think a four-day week could actually work in Australia? On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (01:00) Henry Ford and the 5-Day Work Week (02:44) Could You Do It in a 32-Hour Work Week? (03:38) Where Your Work-From-Home Day Goes (04:39) AI Job Losses vs a 4-Day Work Week (06:03) Should Bosses Share AI Productivity Gains? (12:00) Nobody Actually Works 5 Full Days (18:07) Xero Made Us Faster, Not Freer (20:27) Universal Basic Income and AI (22:54) Who's the Next Henry Ford? Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: hello@thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt. Hosts:Nick ReillyJason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

May 10, 202623 min

Petrol vs Electric Cars: How Much You Actually Save in 2026

Fuel's up 70% and EV orders have tripled, so Jase did the numbers on what switching actually costs. The per-kilometre gap between petrol and electric is ten to one, and if you salary sacrifice an EV through your business, the FBT exemption stacks another $10K-$15K a year on top. If you're thinking about making the switch, this is the one to listen to. On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (00:47) Strait of Hormuz Disruption and Diesel Up 70% (02:29) 300% Increase in EV Orders Since the Fuel Spike (03:45) $0.22/km Petrol vs $0.02/km Electric Running Costs (05:12) $46,000 vs $10,000 on Fuel Over Five Years (07:03) Why Jase Ordered a Tesla Model Y (08:41) How the FBT Exemption Works for Electric Vehicles (10:15) Salary Sacrificing an EV and Saving $10K-$15K a Year (12:30) Battery Electric Only Since April 2025, Plug-In Hybrids Out (14:02) Government Review and the Risk It Gets Pulled (16:18) Tesla Drops to $20K Resale vs Hilux Holding $40K-$50K (18:05) When to Buy and When to Wait (20:12) How This Ties Back to the Productivity and Tax Episode (22:30) Final Verdict on Whether the Numbers Stack Up Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: hello@thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt. Hosts:Nick ReillyJason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

May 3, 202626 min

Six Years of Zero Growth, $786B Spent | Australia's Productivity Crisis

Australia hasn't had real productivity growth in six years, but the government keeps spending more and taxing more to cover the gap. Nick goes through the federal budget numbers, what productivity actually means when you strip out the spin, and why the answer might not be another tax bracket or another levy, but actually spending less. On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (00:17) Free Public Transport in Victoria and the $400 Million Price Tag (00:58) Jacinta Allan on Sunrise and Victoria's $200 Billion Debt (02:41) Federal Budget Reforms: CGT, Negative Gearing, Family Trusts (03:42) Why Cutting Costs Is Easier Than Growing Revenue in Business (06:06) Zero Productivity Growth for 6 Years and $786 Billion in Spending (07:53) Why Government Doesn't Run Like a Business (10:51) Public Sector Healthcare Productivity Down 13.5% Since 2017 (14:03) The $15 Billion CFMEU Money Nobody Investigated (14:51) COVID Business Packages and 11% Non-Deductible ATO Interest (17:16) Should the PM Earn $10 Million per year for Better Results (22:37) Why More Australians Are Paying Attention to Government Waste (25:16) The $20 Million Campaign to Pump Your Tyres Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: hello@thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt. Hosts:Nick ReillyJason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

April 26, 202630 min

Are You on the ATO's Radar? | The Biggest Audit Triggers in 2026

The ATO's audit hit list is out for 2026, and they've got more data on you than ever. Your bank, your crypto platform, your rental agent, your Instagram, they're matching it all against your return. This episode covers the real triggers that put you on their radar, and why using the ATO as a cheap line of credit just became one of the most expensive mistakes a business owner can make. On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (01:23) What Triggers an ATO Audit in 2026 (02:17) Lifestyle vs Income, the ATO's #1 Audit Flag (02:40) The Client Who Used Cash and Gift Cards to Stay Off the Radar (05:10) Property, Cars and Social Media in ATO Investigations (06:51) Crypto, Banks and Airbnb, the Data the ATO Already Has (07:44) Rental Properties, the ATO's #2 Audit Area (10:40) Crypto, the ATO's #3 Audit Area (14:43) A Simple System to Stay Organised for Tax (16:51) Incorrect Deductions and the "Everyone Claims It" Myth (19:36) How the ATO Benchmarks You Against Your Occupation Code (22:22) GIC No Longer Tax Deductible, Amnesty Until December 2026 (25:12) Using the ATO as a Line of Credit Is Over (28:44) Payday Super Starts 1 July 2026 Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: hello@thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt. Hosts:Nick ReillyJason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

April 19, 202625 min

$5.4 Trillion Is Changing Hands | Is Your Family Ready for the Tax Bill?

$4 to $5.4 trillion is set to change hands in Australia's great wealth transfer, and most families have no idea how much tax is hiding in super, shares, and property along the way. Nick walks through a real client case where a 94-year-old with $5.3 million in assets was staring down a $300,000 tax bill for her kids, and the strategies that brought it right down. And with The Australia Institute now proposing to bring back an official inheritance tax, estimated to raise $10 billion a year, this is a conversation worth having sooner rather than later. On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (00:19) The Great Australian Wealth Transfer, $4 to $5.4 Trillion (01:04) Why the Wealth Transfer Affects Every Family (03:30) Could Australia Bring Back an Inheritance Tax? (04:28) The Australia Institute Proposes $10 Billion a Year Inheritance Tax (05:21) Betty's $5.3 Million Estate and a Hidden $300,000 Tax Bill (07:34) Taxable vs Non-Taxable Super Components Explained (09:28) How a Full Pension Withdrawal Saved $100,000 in Super Tax (10:07) Re-Contribution Strategy to Reduce Taxable Super (12:12) Capital Gains Tax on Inherited Shares (13:34) Staging a Share Sell-Down Over Three Years to Save $55,000 (15:08) Inherited Property, Main Residence vs Investment Rules (18:58) Selling Property Before Passing It On to Reduce Capital Gains (22:04) The $390,000 Super Re-Contribution Rule Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: hello@thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt. Hosts:Nick ReillyJason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

April 12, 202623 min

Leaving Australia for Tax Purposes? The ATO Already Knows Your Plan

Moving to Dubai to pay less tax is all over social media, but leaving the Australian tax system is a lot harder than packing your bags. If you've ever looked at your tax bill and thought about leaving, the ATO is already tracking more than you think: your travel, your bank accounts, even your family ties. Jase is working with a client who's actually making the move, and walks through what it takes to genuinely separate from the Australian tax system, and the two things that follow you no matter where you go. On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (00:34) The Trend of Moving Overseas to Pay Less Tax (02:29) A Real Client Moving to Dubai, $100 Pizza and $50 Coffees (04:43) What the ATO Actually Tracks When You Leave Australia (06:14) The Resides Test, Domicile Test, and 183 Day Rule (07:54) Why Intent Matters More Than Anything to the ATO (09:56) Your HECS Debt Follows You Overseas (11:43) Why You Can't Access Your Super When You Leave (13:32) How the ATO Tracks You With Open Data and AI (15:27) What Happens If You Keep Your Australian Property (17:38) Foreign Resident Tax Rates Start at 32.5% (19:25) The ATO's $50 Billion Tax Debt Book (20:27) Departure Prohibition Orders and Enforcement (21:43) $30,000 to Set Up a Company in Dubai Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: hello@thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt. Hosts:Nick ReillyJason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.