Excellence awardees are locked in and mortgage professionals are being urged to book before seats run out
Tables for the 2026 Australian Mortgage Awards (AMAs) are being snapped up quickly, with just over seven weeks remaining until the ceremony at The Fullerton Hotel Sydney's Grand Ballroom on Friday, 16 October.
With this year's excellence awardees now confirmed across more than 20 categories, brokers, brokerages, lenders and BDMs who want a seat at the industry's biggest night are being encouraged to reserve a table through the official AMA registration page before availability closes.
Presented by MPA and AustralianBroker, the AMAs, or the 'Oscars of the broking industry', will open with networking drinks ahead of the formal awards program and a three-course dinner, with entertainment from Australian singer and actress Kate Ceberano, DJ Em on the decks, and TV presenter Andrew Daddo serving as MC.
Westpac returns as official event partner this year, with Brighten and Liberty Financial as premium award partners.
The judging panel includes Helen Avis of Specialist Mortgage, Cory Bannister of La Trobe Financial, Adam Brown of NAB, and Anja Pannek, chief executive of the Mortgage & Finance Association of Australia (MFAA).
Why the night matters
Commonwealth Bank (CBA)'s general manager third party distribution Baber Zaka said the event plays an important role in bringing the industry together – one reason he's encouraging brokers not to miss it.
CBA is sponsoring the Brokerage of the Year (>20 staff) category.
"Being an awards sponsor at the AMAs gives us the opportunity to celebrate the outstanding achievements and innovation happening across the industry," Zaka says. "It's a privilege to recognise the people and teams driving meaningful impact while supporting an event that brings the industry together."
Zaka said nights like the AMAs matter because they give the broking community a reason to pause and acknowledge the work happening across the sector.
"Awards nights like the AMAs are important because they recognise excellence, celebrate innovation, and highlight the outstanding contributions of brokers and industry professionals. They also bring the broking and mortgage finance community together to connect, share ideas, and inspire continued growth across the industry."
Asked what tends to stand out on the night itself, Zaka points to the stories behind the winners rather than the trophies.
"The highlights of the AMAs are celebrating the achievements of outstanding brokers and industry professionals, and hearing the inspiring stories behind their success. It's also a great opportunity to connect with peers and celebrate the strength of the broking community."
As for what's changed at CBA over the past year, "we have continued to introduce new ways for brokers to self-serve, access information more easily and get the support they need faster," Zaka says. "Building on investments such as PEXA integration in CommBroker in early 2025, which provides greater visibility of settlement activity, we have also rolled out Self-Service Escalations nationally in the last 12 months, giving brokers a simpler and more direct way to raise and manage urgent matters."
Zaka congratulates each and every 2026 AMAs awardees. "Your dedication, professionalism and commitment to delivering great outcomes for your customers is something to be incredibly proud of, and we wish you the very best on the night."
A sample of this year's excellence awardees
FBAA Broker of the Year – Residential
- Aaron Christie-David, Atelier Wealth Mortgage Brokers
- Ajeesh Thomas, A1 Fincorp
- Ben Robinson, Flint
- Christopher Wilson, Sunshine Coast Financial Broker
- Dana Blewitt, The Lenders Club
- Jason Khoury, iCHOICE
- Peter Ha, Mortgage Pros
- Stephanie Thomas, Loan Market Ignite
- Tom Hawley, Azura Financial
- Tom Joseph, Loan House Lending Solutions
ANZ Woman of Distinction
- Carly Lloyd, LMG
- Deslie Taylor, Mortgage Choice in Ormeau & Yarrabilba
- Jaime Savory, Gippsland Finance Solutions
- Joanna James, FBAA
- Karen Le Comte, Mortgage Choice Cleveland
- Kate Littlejohn, K Finance Co
- Katie Thomas, Focus Finance
- Rachael McKenzie, Loan Gallery Finance
- Renae Long, FAM Broker
- Stephanie Thomas, Loan Market Ignite
MSA National Aggregator of the Year
- AFG
- Finsure
- Lendi Group
- LMG
- Mortgage Choice
- outsource Financial
Rate Money Non-Bank of the Year
- Athena Home Loans
- Bluestone Home Loans
- Bridgit
- Brighten
- Firstmac
- Liberty
- MA Money
- ORDE Financial
- Pepper Money
- Prime Capital
- Resimac Group Ltd
- Thinktank Property Finance
Winners across all categories, including the Westpac Australian Broker of the Year and Liberty Australian Brokerage of the Year, will be revealed live on the night.
Seats can be secured via the official AMA registration page.
