MFAA's Women in Finance Broking events across five cities will cover financial abuse, coercive control and other complex client circumstances
The Mortgage & Finance Association of Australia (MFAA) will deliver a series of professional development events this August and September aimed at equipping mortgage and finance brokers with practical skills for managing difficult client disclosures.
Run in partnership with Bankwest, the 2026 Women in Finance Broking series will visit Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and Perth. The sessions have been developed in conjunction with Financial Counselling Australia and Full Stop Australia, a national organisation focused on sexual, domestic and family violence.
Topics covered will include financial hardship, relationship breakdown, caring responsibilities, financial abuse, coercive control and unexpected life events. Through scenario-based exercises and facilitated discussions, attendees will learn to identify signs of vulnerability, handle sensitive client disclosures, observe professional boundaries and refer clients to appropriate support services.
"Mortgage and finance brokers support Australians as they make some of the biggest financial decisions of their lives, and those decisions don't happen in isolation from everything else that may be going on for a client," said MFAA chief executive Anja Pannek (pictured right). "The numbers in front of a broker may tell them a lot about somebody's financial position. They won't necessarily tell them the circumstances that created it.
"A client may be experiencing financial hardship, going through a relationship breakdown, caring for a family member, or dealing with circumstances such as financial abuse or coercive control that may not be immediately apparent.
"Brokers are not counsellors, and they are not expected to investigate a client's personal circumstances. But they can be equipped to recognise when something may not be right, respond appropriately and know when and how to connect their client with specialist support.
"What we want brokers to take away from this series is greater awareness and confidence in navigating these difficult conversations, along with practical tools they can use."
The series follows discussions at the 2026 MFAA National Conference, where author and financial fraud survivor Tracy Hall spoke about her experience and the consequences of financial exploitation. Brokers now facilitate approximately 81% of all new residential home loans in Australia, according to the MFAA.
"Tracy's story was a powerful reminder that vulnerability can affect anyone and that we cannot always see what is happening in someone's life from their financial circumstances alone," Pannek said.
"Our role is to make sure our members have the professional development, resources and support they need to navigate these situations appropriately and continue delivering positive outcomes for their clients."
The 2026 series builds on last year's programme, which examined women's increasing role as financial decision makers. It is open to mortgage and finance brokers, business owners and other industry participants.
Event dates and locations are as follows:
- Brisbane: Tuesday, 25 August
- Melbourne: Thursday, 27 August
- Sydney: Friday, 28 August
- Adelaide: Thursday, 10 September
- Perth: Tuesday, 15 September
Registration is available via the MFAA Women in Finance Broking website.
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