| Why Jetski Buyers Should Budget for Insurance Before Borrowing Sat, 18 Jul: ASIC’s Moneysmart updated its insurance guidance on 16 July 2026, and while the information is broad, it carries a practical message for anyone preparing to finance a jetski: the loan repayment is only one part of the ownership cost. Insurance can affect your monthly budget, your lender’s requirements and your ability to recover financially if the watercraft is damaged, stolen or involved in an accident. - read more
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| Why Cash Flow Discipline Matters as SME Insolvency Warnings Rise Sat, 18 Jul: Australian small businesses are being urged to treat cash flow management as a board-level priority as restructuring specialists warn insolvency pressures may rise through FY26–27. The message is not simply that conditions are difficult. It is that delayed decisions can quickly narrow the choices available to directors, particularly where tax debts, weaker margins and high borrowing costs are already in play. - read more
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| Why Caravan Buyers Need to Check Finance Websites Carefully Sat, 18 Jul: Fresh online safety guidance from Moneysmart is a timely reminder for Australians shopping for caravans, camper trailers and motorhomes to slow down before sharing personal or financial details online. The warning is especially relevant for buyers comparing finance, responding to online listings, or clicking through from social media advertisements that appear to promote low rates, fast approvals or unusually cheap stock. - read more
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| Netstrata Proceedings Put Strata Insurance Governance Back Under the Microscope Sat, 18 Jul: NSW Fair Trading’s criminal proceedings against Network Strata Services Pty Ltd, trading as Netstrata, have pushed strata governance and insurance transparency back into the national spotlight. The regulator alleges the company and its director and licensee in charge breached statutory obligations connected with strata scheme management in New South Wales, including alleged failures around conflicts of interest, undisclosed financial benefits and information provided to the regulator. - read more
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| Super Compensation Shake-Up Puts Trust Back in Focus Sat, 18 Jul: Australia’s safety net for victims of financial misconduct is under renewed pressure, with the federal government considering changes that could draw large superannuation funds and self-managed super funds into the funding pool. The debate centres on the Compensation Scheme of Last Resort, which helps eligible consumers when a financial firm cannot or will not pay an Australian Financial Complaints Authority determination. - read more
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| Broker Disclosure Debate Puts Small Business Questions Back on the Table Sat, 18 Jul: A fresh dispute over the proposed Insurance Brokers Code of Practice has sharpened the focus on transparency for Australian small businesses. Industry figure John Trowbridge has criticised gaps in the draft code, particularly around whether brokers should disclose commissions and other remuneration to all clients, not only those captured by narrower product or client categories. - read more
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| AFCA Income Protection Decision Highlights a Hidden Risk for Variable Earners Sat, 18 Jul: A recent Australian Financial Complaints Authority decision has put a spotlight on a detail that can be easy to overlook: how an income protection policy defines income. In the case, a policyholder receiving payments under an employer-arranged group income protection policy argued that regular sales commissions should be counted when calculating his pre-disability income. - read more
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| Broker Transparency Debate: What Personal Trainers Should Watch Sat, 18 Jul: A fresh dispute over Australia’s insurance broking standards has put transparency back in the spotlight for small business policyholders, including personal trainers, fitness instructors and studio operators. On 17 July 2026, several consumer and strata owner groups withdrew from consultation on the National Insurance Brokers Association’s rewritten Insurance Brokers Code of Practice, arguing that industry self-regulation does not go far enough on conflicted payments and commission disclosure. - read more
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| What New Regulator Guidance Could Mean for Cover Sat, 18 Jul: Australia’s life insurance sector has welcomed the Federal Government’s updated expectations for APRA and ASIC, a policy signal that could shape how insurers balance consumer protection, affordability and innovation. The new expectations ask the regulators to keep the financial system safe and stable while also supporting competition, productivity and proportionate oversight. For life insurance customers, the practical question is whether that balance leads to clearer products, better service and cover that remains within reach. - read more
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| Credit Use for Essentials Signals Fresh Pressure on Mortgage Holders Sat, 18 Jul: Fresh cost-of-living data is a timely reminder that mortgage stress is not always visible in arrears figures alone. New research reported by Savings.com.au shows one in three Australians used credit to cover essential expenses over the past year, while 37% used one form of credit to manage another. For households already carrying a home loan, that points to a widening gap between everyday income and unavoidable costs. - read more
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| Clover’s Landlord Insurance Return Adds Fresh Market Choice Sat, 18 Jul: Clover Insurance has returned to the home and landlord insurance market, with Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance Company Australia, known as Adica, providing the capacity behind the renewed offer. For Australian rental property owners, the development is notable because it points to fresh underwriting appetite in a part of the personal lines market that has been under pressure from claims inflation, natural perils and shifting distribution settings. - read more
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| What the SMSF Property Borrowing Ban Means for Finance Decisions Fri, 17 Jul: Australia’s SMSF property borrowing rules are about to tighten, creating a short and important decision window for trustees, investors, lenders and advisers. From 10 August 2026, self-managed superannuation funds will no longer be able to enter new limited recourse borrowing arrangements to purchase residential property. Existing arrangements are expected to be protected, but the immediate challenge is working out what counts as sufficiently advanced before the deadline. - read more
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| What July’s Car Loan Rate Snapshot Means for Australian Buyers Fri, 17 Jul: Fresh July 2026 car loan comparison data points to a competitive market for well-qualified borrowers, with some secured car loan products advertising rates in the mid-five per cent range. For buyers looking at a new or near-new vehicle, that may sound encouraging after a period of higher household costs and tighter lending conditions. But the more useful takeaway is not simply that lower advertised rates exist. - read more
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| Why New Borrower Rate Cuts Matter When You’re Managing Debt Fri, 17 Jul: A fresh round of lender competition is giving some Australian borrowers a reason to review their debts, but the benefits are not being shared evenly. Canstar reported on 16 July 2026 that 23 lenders have cut at least one variable home loan rate since 1 May, despite the Reserve Bank’s rate hikes in February, March and May. The catch is that these reductions are aimed at new borrowers, or existing customers willing to refinance and effectively become new customers elsewhere. - read more
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| Second NSW H5 Bird Flu Detection Puts Biosecurity Back on the Farm Risk Agenda Fri, 17 Jul: A second H5 bird flu detection in New South Wales has moved avian disease risk from a distant global concern to a practical on-farm planning issue for Australian producers. The latest case involved a petrel found at Hawks Nest on the NSW Mid North Coast, following an earlier detection at the same beach. Authorities have indicated the human health risk remains low, and there has been no reported H5 detection in NSW commercial poultry flocks at this stage. - read more
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| Capital Guard Case Puts Bond Investment Checks Back in Focus Fri, 17 Jul: ASIC’s latest action against Capital Guard AU is a timely reminder that even polished investment offers can carry serious risk.The corporate regulator has applied to the Supreme Court of New South Wales to wind up the company, citing concerns about the handling of investor funds and whether some bond investments existed as represented. - read more
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| What the Partnered Health Breach Means for Clinic Risk Fri, 17 Jul: The latest reporting on the Partnered Health cyber attack may be a wake-up call for allied health practices that store patient information, uses shared booking systems or relies on cloud-based clinical software. The healthcare group, which operates more than 60 clinics nationally, became aware on 23 June 2026 that a malicious actor had accessed data from some clinics. Potentially affected patients were not notified publicly until more than three weeks later. - read more
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| What the Partnered Health Cyber Attack Means for Fitness Operators Fri, 17 Jul: A cyber attack disclosed by Partnered Health Group on 15 July 2026 has put health-related data security back on the agenda for Australian service businesses. The incident reportedly affected patient information across 21 clinics in multiple states and territories, including contact details, Medicare information, private health insurance details and medical records. While this was a healthcare provider incident, the lessons are highly relevant for fitness professionals who collect health screening forms, injury histories, progress notes, emergency contacts and payment details. - read more
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| AI Agent Risks Put Consultant Cover Under the Microscope Fri, 17 Jul: A new industry report on AI agents has sharpened an issue that many Australian consultants can no longer treat as theoretical: when automated tools make decisions, access client data or carry out tasks, which insurance policy responds if something goes wrong? - read more
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| Taree Flood Lessons Renew Pressure on Insurance Affordability Fri, 17 Jul: A fresh roundtable in Taree has put flood insurance affordability back under the spotlight, more than a year after the May 2025 floods devastated parts of the Manning Valley and Mid North Coast. The discussion, co-hosted by Insurance Council of Australia CEO Andrew Hall and federal MP Alison Penfold, brought together business and council leaders to examine why recovery alone is not enough when the underlying flood risk remains. - read more
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| Victoria’s Electric Truck Trial Puts Real-World Costs in Focus Fri, 17 Jul: Victoria’s new electric heavy vehicle trial has moved from policy discussion to real-world testing, with Cahill Transport named as the first operator to take part. For truck buyers and fleet owners, the most important detail is not just that another electric truck is hitting the road. It is that the trial is designed to produce practical operating data that may help businesses make better decisions before committing capital. - read more
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| New scam warning: what caravan buyers should check online Fri, 17 Jul: Australians researching a caravan purchase are being reminded to slow down and check the websites they use before entering personal or financial details. A fresh Moneysmart update on scam websites highlights how convincing fake pages can now look, especially when scammers copy well-known brands, financial institutions or trusted information sources. - read more
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| Why Mortgage Competition Matters Before Cosmetic Surgery Fri, 17 Jul: A fresh round of home loan competition is a timely reminder that cosmetic surgery finance should never be assessed in isolation. Canstar’s 16 July 2026 analysis reported that 23 lenders had cut at least one variable home loan rate since 1 May, even after Reserve Bank cash rate increases earlier this year. The catch is important: the sharper pricing is largely aimed at new borrowers, not loyal existing customers. - read more
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| Autonomous Farm Machinery Moves From Curiosity to Capital Planning Fri, 17 Jul: Autonomous and semi-autonomous farm machinery is no longer a distant concept for Australian grain producers. Recent industry research highlighted by Grain Central shows more farm businesses are experimenting with automation, from GPS-guided equipment and autosteer to drones, robots and other systems designed to reduce labour pressure and improve operational efficiency. - read more
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| RBA Card Data Points to Ongoing Pressure on Household Debt Thu, 16 Jul: The Reserve Bank of Australia’s latest retail payments figures, released on 7 July 2026, add another useful snapshot of how Australians are managing day-to-day spending and short-term debt. In May 2026, total purchases on Australian-issued cards reached $99.7 billion, with credit and charge cards accounting for $40.7 billion and debit cards making up $59.0 billion. Find out now if you qualify and compare rates, offers and options from multiple lenders - without a credit check! - read more
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Please Note: If this information affects you or is relevant to your circumstances, seek advice from a licensed professional.
