Weekly Credit Crunch Friday August 22nd 2025

🏦 Macquarie

📋 Policy Changes

We recently introduced changes for clients who’s CCRs had adverse conduct. We have extended our review period for repayment history from 6 months to 24 months.

📊 Repayment History:

• ❌ RHI status of 2 or higher in last 24 months:
  We no longer accept applications where a customer’s CCR shows a RHI status of 2 or higher in the past 24 months.
  << These will be automatically declined. Please do not submit applications where there is a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, X present in the last 24 months. >>

• ⚠️ RHI status of 1 in last 24 months:
  We may consider applications where a customer has RHI status of 1 in the past 24 months. If you have any applications with this status, feel free to reach out to me – we’re here to guide you and help make sure your customers get the best possible outcome.
  << Let me know what the Equifax one score is, and I can assist with the likelihood of us accepting this client. >>

🤝 Hardship History:
If a customer’s CCR shows a hardship status (FHI A or V) in the past 12 months, we’ll need to see at least six months of consistent, on-time payments after the hardship status ended to demonstrate financial recovery. This is in addition to meeting our RHI requirements above.

📝 Notes:

• Applies to all accounts and all applicants.

• These requirements apply to every loan account listed on a customer’s CCR.

• For joint applications, both customers need to meet these requirements.

• When considering the Equifax one score, we will go off the lowest score between the clients.

💡 Hot Tip:
Make use of free CCR reports to check RHI and FHI status: You’re probably already on top of this, but remember to check your customers’ Comprehensive Credit Report (CCR) to review their Repayment History Information (RHI) and Financial Hardship Information (FHI).

📅 For applications in progress:
This updated policy only applies to new applications. Any applications that have been submitted to us before 13 August 2025 will be assessed under our previous policy.

⚙️ Process Changes

• 📧 From 22 September, we will be decommissioning [email protected] and mandating NextGen ID for all applications.

• 🛑 Since 18 August, our internal email for broker support has been decommissioned. For unpending or escalation, please use Live Chat.

• 💬 Please direct all queries for in-flight applications and settled applications through the Broker Portal Live Chat.

👉 If you have issues or feedback about Live Chat, please let me know so I can pass this on to the teams (good feedback is welcome too!).

🔮 The future is Broker Portal + Live Chat, so please get familiar with using it.

💳 AMP

From 2 September, you’ll need to submit all new applications through Loanapp, our new AMP Bank Broker Platform.

📚 Register today for AMP Bank Broker Platform training.

To help you transition smoothly, we’ve created a dedicated training hub for you and your support staff. Even if you haven’t been onboarded yet, there’s no need to wait—get yourself and your team ready today so you can hit the ground running.

✅ I highly encourage you and your support staff to join the Get Started: AMP Bank Broker Platform Essentials training — a 1.5-hour session designed to help you master the platform (CPD points allocated).

🎯 We also offer two 30-minute Deep Dive sessions:

• 📄 Digital Income Verification

• 📑 Info Requests & Supporting Docs

Both are tailored specifically for AMP Bank and are also eligible for CPD points.

🏦 NAB

❌ IDyou No Longer Accepted from 29 August 2025

We will no longer accept any VOI completed through IDyou after Friday 29 August 2025. You must instead use one of the following methods:

• 🧾 InfoTrackID ‘In Person’ Report

• 💻 InfoTrackID ‘Remote (video call)’ Report

• 👥 In-person verification of identity

⚠️ After 29 August

• IDyou submitted after 29 August will receive a Missing Information Request (MIR).

• Even though IDyou will still let you type ‘NAB’ manually as the chosen lender, this workaround will no longer be accepted.

• You’ll need to complete ID verification through one of the three accepted methods listed above.

💡 Handy Tips for Logging Into InfoTrackID

• 🔄 Log out of IDyou on all devices before accessing InfoTrackID.

• 👤 Use the new InfoTrackID username provided in your welcome email. (Note: this username is different from your email address and previous IDyou login credentials.)

• 📧 Haven’t received your welcome email? Contact [email protected] and ask them to manually create an InfoTrackID account for you.

• 🌐 Dashboard: InfoTrack WebVOI

🏦 ME Bank

🌏 More Doors Open – Lending to Eligible Temporary Residents

With the Aussie population growing, more overseas residents are chasing the great Australian dream.

ME can help — offering home loans to temporary Australian residents who are PAYG employed, hold an eligible visa, and don’t need LMI.

Who’s eligible?
We consider applicants who:

• ✅ Live and work in Australia without restrictions.

• ✅ Are free to travel in and out of Australia.

• ✅ Hold a visa that is valid for at least four years from the issue date.

• ✅ Have at least 12 months remaining on their visa (bridging visas excluded).

• ✅ Obtain Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) approval if required.

What if my client doesn’t meet all criteria?

• If your client is in a spousal or de facto relationship with an Australian or New Zealand citizen or permanent resident, they may still be eligible — provided their partner is a co-borrower.

For loans that require LMI:

• Our mortgage insurer doesn’t accept non-residents or temporary visa holders for LMI-backed loans unless they’re in a spousal or de facto relationship with an Australian or New Zealand citizen or permanent resident.

👉 Got a client who might benefit? Reach out to the ME team. We’re here to help make home ownership happen.

📌 ING Quick Reminder: Borrower Eligibility & Substantial Benefit Requirements

All borrowers must demonstrate a substantial benefit from entering the loan.

Acceptable Scenarios
A substantial benefit is considered acceptable when:

• ✅ Each borrower holds at least 20% ownership of the property title, or

• ✅ Borrowers are in a married or de facto relationship and provide a valid reason for the loan structure (e.g., asset protection or tax planning), or

• ✅ Where there are six or more borrowers, and each holds an equal share.

Unacceptable Scenarios
Borrowers are not acceptable if:

• ❌ They are added for convenience only.

• ❌ They are not in a married or de facto relationship.

• ❌ They derive little to no benefit from the loan (i.e., less than 20%).

💳 Latitude

💡 Funds to Complete Gap Personal Loan

Launched in July, this product is aimed to help bridge the funding gap for funds to complete.

This could assist in:

1. 📉 Lowering the LVR to achieve a cheaper interest rate on the entire debt.

2. 🏦 Reducing the LVR to achieve a cheaper LMI.

3. ❌ Lowering the LVR to avoid LMI altogether.

4. 🔀 Helping to fund the gap with Bridging Finance.

5. 💳 Consolidating debts to improve serviceability for a home loan application.

Things to know:

• ⏳ Loan Term: up to 7 years.

• 💰 Max Loan: $200,000

• 🛠️ Available through the broker channel only (with a declaration form to be completed by the broker to confirm responsible lending, BID, genuine savings and standard assessment requirements).

👉 Possibly a great solution for customers with a solid profile needing extra flexibility.

What have I been up to this week and how imposter syndrome hit me hard?

This week has been nothing short of a whirlwind.

• ✈️ Monday/Tuesday – Brisbane for the FBAA Elevate series

• ✈️ Wednesday – NFBD with my colleagues and seeing Steve Scahill present on the importance of diversification and Julian Fayad talk all things AI, Tech and the new LMG partnership for asset finance.

• ✈️ Thursday – Sydney for the FBAA Elevate series

• ✈️ Friday – finally home, with a full heart (and very tired feet).

The FBAA roadshow has been an incredible opportunity for me and one that I  am so grateful for. As always, I love getting around to meet members, share conversations, and dive into all things policy. But if I’m being honest with you… the past two weeks have stretched me in ways I didn’t expect.

The FBAA asked to speak on a tech panel. And for someone who still thinks of herself first as a broker, not a “tech expert,” that was confronting. Sitting on stage next to people who have been in the technology space for decades, I had a full case of imposter syndrome. I caught myself thinking: Why am I even here? Do I really belong on this panel?

But here’s the truth I came back to:
The one thing I know with absolute certainty is broking and policy. That’s my grounding. That’s my strength.

When I built The Brokers’ Bible, my goal was never just to dabble with shiny new tech. In fact, back then AI wasn’t even part of the picture. I wanted to create something brokers could lean on — something fresh, useful, and real.

Yes, anyone can upload policy docs into an AI tool. But that’s not what I built. I spent a year creating modules, guides, recommendations, and practical insights that go beyond what’s written in lender policy. I built it from the lens of a broker, using my own experience, mistakes, and lessons learned — because that’s where the true value is.

So while I may never feel like the “big tech brain” in the room, I know what I bring is different. It’s grounded. It’s human. It’s built for brokers, by a broker, with heart.

And maybe that’s exactly why I do belong on those panels.

✨ To any broker (or human!) reading this who’s felt that same imposter syndrome — please know you’re not alone. Sometimes the most valuable thing we can bring to the table isn’t having all the answers, but having the courage to show up with authenticity and share what we do know.

Because that’s where the magic happens. 💡 

See you next week finance friends!!