This week's podcast guests are Canberra Bureau Chief Tom McIlroy and Foreign affairs and Defence correspondent Andrew Tillet. They join Lisa Murray and Phil Coorey to discuss the coalition's plan to increase defence spending, the erosion of trust in institutions and the potential risks of following American political trends in Australia.

This week's podcast guests are Canberra Bureau Chief Tom McIlroy and Foreign affairs and Defence correspondent Andrew Tillet. They join Lisa Murray and Phil Coorey to discuss the coalition's plan to increase defence spending, the erosion of trust in institutions and the potential risks of following American political trends in Australia.

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.

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.

A weekly podcast that examines the biggest stories in business, markets and politics, and why they matter.

The Fin

All the latest episodes from all of the AFR's podcasts. 

All the latest episodes from all of the AFR's podcasts.&nbsp;

Latest episodes 

Election 2025: Why Albo has a spring in his step and Dutton's big bet on defence

Angira Bharadwaj and Joyce Moullakis on why CBA ended up in the middle of a billion dollar loan fraud scandal, how its spreading to the other banks and who might be behind it.

This podcast is sponsored by Woodside Energy

Further reading:
Escalating $1b loan fraud scandal threatens to engulf top banks
AUSTRAC is investigating a widening mortgage loan fraud scandal, after a syndicate duped Commonwealth Bank into writing $1 billion in loans off fake payslips.
AUSTRAC calls in 10 banks for key meeting on spike in mortgage fraud
The agency requested data from the lenders as it works to assess the extent of the fraud and whether properties funded by criminal proceeds should be seized.
CBA probes $1b in suspected fraudulent home loans, calls in police
The country’s largest bank is working to assess how many loans have been secured based on doctored applications, including documents created using AI.

Angira Bharadwaj and Joyce Moullakis on why CBA ended up in the middle of a billion dollar loan fraud scandal, how its spreading to the other banks and who might be behind it.
This podcast is sponsored by <a href="https://www.woodside.com/who-we-are?gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=19236083177&amp;gbraid=0AAAAApAgpoUY9mniozX45G51epawaefJ8&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwhLPOBhBiEiwA8_wJHCD566vlhh39EEhLaTlb_6HwlTO3T1F04JXFnSdVzfurNzX3B4s9uBoCiMIQAvD_BwE">Woodside Energy</a>
Further reading: <a href="https://www.afr.com/companies/financial-services/escalating-1b-loan-fraud-scandal-threatens-to-engulf-top-banks-20260311-p5o9im">Escalating $1b loan fraud scandal threatens to engulf top banks</a> AUSTRAC is investigating a widening mortgage loan fraud scandal, after a syndicate duped Commonwealth Bank into writing $1 billion in loans off fake payslips. <a href="https://www.afr.com/companies/financial-services/austrac-calls-in-10-banks-for-key-meeting-on-spike-in-mortgage-fraud-20260318-p5okit">AUSTRAC calls in 10 banks for key meeting on spike in mortgage fraud</a> The agency requested data from the lenders as it works to assess the extent of the fraud and whether properties funded by criminal proceeds should be seized. <a href="https://www.afr.com/companies/financial-services/cba-probes-1b-in-suspected-fraudulent-home-loans-calls-in-police-20260223-p5o4mc">CBA probes $1b in suspected fraudulent home loans, calls in police</a> The country&rsquo;s largest bank is working to assess how many loans have been secured based on doctored applications, including documents created using AI.

The AI-fuelled fraud that deceived Australia's biggest bank

In our two-part series, Inside Edge, we go behind the scenes of the corporate regulator's high-stakes war on insider trading. We trace the thin line between a "great piece of gossip" and a federal crime, revealing why this is the easiest law to break-and the hardest to prove. 

As a massive new crackdown looms, ASIC boss Joe Longo reveals his growing frustration with the courts: "The sentences aren't as strong as we would like." Find out if you're closer to the edge than you think.

In our two-part series, Inside Edge, we go behind the scenes of the corporate regulator's high-stakes war on insider trading. We trace the thin line between a "great piece of gossip" and a federal crime, revealing why this is the easiest law to break-and the hardest to prove. 
As a massive new crackdown looms, ASIC boss Joe Longo reveals his growing frustration with the courts: "The sentences aren't as strong as we would like." Find out if you're closer to the edge than you think.

Inside Edge Episode 1: The Lithium Insider

This week on The Fin podcast, Jonathan Shapiro and Emma Rapaport on what's behind the Magellan and Barrenjoey merger and whether there's enough room for another homegrown investment bank.

This podcast is sponsored by Aussie Broadband

Further reading:
Magellan merger delivers billion-dollar bonanza for Barrenjoey staff
Since the merger was announced, Magellan’s shares have risen by more than 33 per cent, lifting the paper wealth of Barrenjoey’s 463 staff to over $1 billion
Booming Barrenjoey swallows parent Magellan after only 5 years
Barrenjoey and Magellan are tying the knot to create a mini-Macquarie in a $1.62 billion deal. We’d tip one side to dominate the merger.
Lowy family takes major stake in Magellan after merger with Barrenjoey
Steven Lowy, a principal of Lowy Family Group, the family’s private investment business and family office, said it had a long history with Magellan.

This week on The Fin podcast, Jonathan Shapiro and Emma Rapaport on what's behind the Magellan and Barrenjoey merger and whether there's enough room for another homegrown investment bank.
This podcast is sponsored by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aussiebroadband.com.au/">Aussie Broadband</a>
Further reading: <a href="https://www.afr.com/companies/financial-services/magellan-merger-delivers-billion-dollar-bonanza-for-barrenjoey-staff-20260306-p5o82x">Magellan merger delivers billion-dollar bonanza for Barrenjoey staff</a> Since the merger was announced, Magellan&rsquo;s shares have risen by more than 33 per cent, lifting the paper wealth of Barrenjoey&rsquo;s 463 staff to over $1 billion <a href="https://www.afr.com/chanticleer/barrenjoey-s-grounds-and-fowler-make-a-unicorn-now-to-really-ride-it-20260302-p5o6ke">Booming Barrenjoey swallows parent Magellan after only 5 years</a> Barrenjoey and Magellan are tying the knot to create a mini-Macquarie in a $1.62 billion deal. We&rsquo;d tip one side to dominate the merger. <a href="https://www.afr.com/companies/financial-services/lowy-family-takes-major-stake-in-magellan-after-merger-with-barrenjoey-20260306-p5o83l">Lowy family takes major stake in Magellan after merger with Barrenjoey</a> Steven Lowy, a principal of Lowy Family Group, the family&rsquo;s private investment business and family office, said it had a long history with Magellan.

Election 2025: Why Albo has a spring in his step and Dutton's big bet on defence

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