The Bloomberg Australia Podcast

ANZ’s new CEO Nuno Matos is moving fast to remake Australia’s fourth-largest bank. In just five months, he’s announced thousands of job cuts, paused a share buyback, and pledged to refocus on core lending and business banking — part of an aggressive push to simplify operations and rebuild investor and regulator trust. Bloomberg finance editor Adam Haigh joins host Rebecca Jones to unpack what Matos’s overhaul means for ANZ’s strategy, shareholders, and staff. They discuss his plan to lift returns, repair relationships with regulators, and steer the bank through an increasingly competitive market.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Few economies are as closely watched in this region right now as New Zealand’s as it navigates inflation pressures, productivity challenges and a shifting global environment.In this special bonus episode, Wellington Bureau Chief Matthew Brockett interviews New Zealand Finance Minister Nicola Willis live on stage for the Bloomberg Address in Auckland on Oct. 10. Now in its fifth year, the annual event has become a cornerstone of New Zealand’s policy calendar.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A big slice of Australia’s retirement savings is tied up in so-called private markets — assets that don’t trade on stock exchanges and are often hard to value or sell. This week, Rebecca Jones speaks with reporter Richard Henderson about what happens when those opaque investments go wrong, and what that reveals about the growing risks inside the A$4.3 trillion super system. As more super funds pour money into unlisted real estate, private equity and infrastructure, regulators are sounding the alarm about transparency and valuation. We unpack what the watchdog’s warnings mean for investors, why these deals can turn sour quickly, and how Australia’s biggest funds are managing the balance between risk and return in the race to grow members’ savings.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia’s housing market is running hot again. Home values are rising at their fastest pace in nearly two years, fueled by rate cuts and ahead of fresh government support for first-home buyers. But with the Reserve Bank keeping rates on hold this week, the big question is when the next cut might come — and what it means for affordability, supply, and renters. In the latest Bloomberg Australia Podcast, Chris Bourke speaks with economist James McIntyre about the forces driving prices higher, the outlook for rate cuts, and why the supply crunch is likely to keep pressure on both buyers and renters.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australian retirees are wealthier than ever, thanks to decades of superannuation growth and soaring property values. But with that prosperity has come a disturbing rise in inheritance impatience – where children and relatives pressure older Australians to hand over their savings early. In this episode of the Bloomberg Australia Podcast, Chris Bourke speaks with economy reporter Swati Pandey about the rise of financial elder abuse. They discuss how housing pressures, the cost of living and wealth divides are fueling this trend, as well as the toll it takes on victims and what’s being done to better protect retirees.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Victoria wants to make working from home a legal right for two days a week – a move that could reshape how many Australians work. But is Jacinta Allan’s policy about protecting flexibility, or is it more about politics with an election looming? And can it even be done? Chris Bourke speaks with Trent Wiltshire from the Grattan Institute about whether legislating hybrid work makes sense, what it would mean for businesses and workers, and why the work-from-home debate reveals a growing divide in Australia’s workforce.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Erin Patterson was this week sentenced to at least 33 years in prison for murdering three family members and attempting to kill a fourth, by serving a lunch laced with poisonous mushrooms – closing a chapter in the saga that’s become globally known as the Mushroom Murders. On this week’s Bloomberg Australia Podcast, host Chris Bourke speaks with Ainsley Thomson about why the case drew so much international interest, spawning books, podcasts and TV series. They also explore what fuels our obsession with true crime, and whether the intense scrutiny may have influenced Patterson’s fate.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you have a child, or have left the house in recent months, chances are you’re familiar with Pop Mart’s blind box sensation the Labubu. This week on the Bloomberg Australia Podcast, host Rebecca Jones speaks to Ainsley Thomson in Wellington about why the toothy plush toys have developed a cult following and investors are diving in.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Goldman Sachs is bolstering its private wealth business in Australia as it tries to win the business of individuals and families with more than A$100 million to invest. This week on the Bloomberg Australia Podcast, host Rebecca Jones speaks to finance editor Adam Haigh about what this tells us about the local wealth management market, and how people with slightly less (i.e. most of us) can do to boost their coffers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia’s richest are getting richer — with Gina Rinehart and Harry Triguboff climbing higher in the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, while others like Atlassian’s founders take a hit. Together, the nation’s top ten fortunes are now worth $144 billion. So where’s the money being made and what does it say about the broader economy? This week on the Bloomberg Australia Podcast, host Rebecca Jones speaks to wealth editor Andrew Heathcote about the winners and losers in Australia’s billionaire ranks, the sectors driving their gains, and what lessons we can take from how the ultra-wealthy think.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.