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 Reilly
Jason 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.

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 Reilly
Jason 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.

$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 Reilly
Jason 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.