1. Network & Industry

In This Edition… 

💻 Google Isn’t Dead – But Poor Data Will Cost You Listings

⚠️ $50,000 Fines Incoming: NSW Tenancy Rules You Can’t Ignore

📞 ACMA Crackdown: One FN Office Warned – Are You Compliant?’

👨‍👨‍👦‍👦 The Market Has Split: Four Buyer Types You Must Handle Differently

🤥 The AI Myth Agencies Are Being Sold – And Why It Doesn’t Stack Up

📈 Futures Club: Who Will Lead Your Business Next?

🛡️ Cyber Risk Rising: 700+ FN Staff Already Acting

🥷 Scammers Targeting Agencies Right Now – What to Watch For

🙌 AML/CTF Breakthrough: Agents Given Critical Protection

🇻🇳 Vietnam Convention: Rebrand Reveal and Final Call

🦾 AI Policy Is Risk Management – Not a Choice

📱Telemarketing Rules Tighten – No Excuses for Breaches

🏅 Awards Season Momentum: Dominating Offices Revealed

🤖 Choosing the Right AI Tool Could Double Your Output Quality

🛢️ Oil Prices Rising: What It Means for Property Decisions

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Community, Culture and Brand – What Sets FN Apart Right Now

A Warm Welcome to Our Kiwi Colleagues

👓 30 second read

From this edition of Network News forward, our newsletter will be shared across Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand. So, where updates or articles are country specific, headlines will be preceded by ‘Australia’ or ‘New Zealand’ for purposes of clarity. 

Established in 1985, from the top of the North Island to the bottom of the South Island, First National Real Estate has 29 respected offices. 

Our Kiwi colleagues have won the Canstar Blue Most Satisfied Customers Award four times. This streak reflects consistently high customer satisfaction ratings across areas like communication, trust, and overall service.

On behalf of your Australian friends, we wish you a warm welcome.

National Convention Vietnam, Keynote Revealed

👓 45 second read

Members are getting ready for an unforgettable experience in one of Southeast Asia’s most stunning coastal cities! This year’s convention will be held at the luxurious 5-star Sheraton Grand Resort.

If you haven’t registered yet, time is fast running out. 

• Join us in Da Nang for the reveal of First National’s groundbreaking rebrand

• Be inspired by keynote speaker and world champion athlete, Jana Pitman, who will talk about mindset, managing setbacks, resilience, and managing change

• Learn from our workshops and breakout sessions

• Spend time with your colleagues and explore the beauty of Vietnam

Australia: ACMA Puts FN Office On Notice, SMS Rules Change

👓 1 minute read

A First National office has received a warning about prospecting without regard for the No Call Register, and ACMA is making changes you need to know about when it comes to SMS marketing. 

Fines for non-compliance are substantial, so we’ve provided a reminder about the principles you must adhere to when telemarketing. Stay out of trouble by reading the detail in the Media and Marketing chapter.

Australia: Futures Club – Building the Leaders Who Will Shape Our Network

👓 30 second read

The Futures Club marks a decisive step forward in how First National develops its people and replaces the former FN Squad. It introduces a structured, two-year leadership and business development programme designed to produce capable, commercially minded future leaders across the network.

Head to the Learning & Development chapter for all the exciting details.

New Zealand: National Conference & GEM Awards, 7 May 2026

👓 30 second read

New Zealand members, it’s time to confirm your attendance at our Wellington National Conference. Secure your place now and get ready for a conference designed to deliver clear thinking, useful connections and practical ideas you can apply immediately.

You will find all the details, as well as registration links in Learning & Development - chapter two. 

Australia: AML/CTF: Challenging Counterparties – Rule Amendment Confirmed

👓 2 minute read

AUSTRAC has confirmed that it will address a contentious issue through a rule amendment, which was anticipated to be tabled last week.

Where a real estate agent has:

• taken reasonable steps to establish the identity of a customer, and

• documented those steps and the difficulties encountered, but

• is unable to complete CDD due to the counterparty’s lack of cooperation

The agent will be deemed to have completed customer due diligence and will not be taken to have breached their obligations under the Act.

The amendment recognises the uncommon position agents are in where counterparties are not in a contractual arrangement with the agent – such as when a buyer refuses the provide sufficient information for Customer Due Diligence (CDD) – and where transactions may continue without an agent’s ongoing involvement. Agents will still need to consider whether a Suspicious Matter Report is required - which would be recommended – but this development provides significant regulatory protection for agents.

This is a very strong outcome for industry, given how consistently this issue has raised by REIA members. Having this protection embedded in the Rules themselves is a major step forward. Once the Rules are formally published, First National will alert our membership.

Conjunction agents

Ongoing concern exists around conjunctional arrangements and/or where agents operate under independent contractor models. AUSTRAC has agreed that such agents should come under ‘Personnel’ of the reporting entity for AML/CTF purposes, rather than separate reporting entities in their own right.

700+ FN Staff Strengthen Cyber Security

👓 45 second read

First National Real Estate is the first real estate brand in Australia to wholeheartedly embrace the Australian Government’s Cyber Wardens training, sponsored by Commonwealth Bank and Telstra.

Over 700 salespeople, property managers, administrators and principals across 64 offices attended one of the five scheduled webinars or watched a video recording that was shared after the sessions.

All participants will soon receive their Cyber Wardens qualification and the training can still be accessed for two more weeks. See the Learning and Development chapter for further details.

A decision from Treasury remains pending as to whether the programme will be extended.

Thank you to everybody who participated in this vital initiative.

Scammers Continue to Target First National Offices

👓 1 minute read

Two very common scams continue to be targeted at First National offices.

The first email positions itself as a URL registry company and tells recipients that another business is attempting to take ownership of their website address; that you must act urgently to prevent this. Please ignore such emails. No business has any right to try and acquire your URL.

The second positions itself as copyright agency or intellectual property law firm and attempts to convince businesses that they must act to ‘secure exclusive legal rights’ to their trading name because Australia’s ‘first-to-file system’ will grant trademark ownership to the ‘first party to submit a valid application’. 

The scammers offer ‘priority access’ to ‘secure your claim’ – demanding a response within 24 hours.

As always, the red flag is the urgency. Do not reply and do not call any numbers offered with such emails. 

First National recommends you report your concerns to your State Membership Manager (SMM) for advice.

FN Hedland Sweeps 2025 WA State Awards

👓 1 minute read

Our State Awards season continues with Western Australia agents recently receiving their 2025 State Awards at Pan Pacific Perth. 

During the evening, FN Hedland (Port Hedland) was declared winner of WA Sales Office of the Year and WA Property Management Office of the Year - for the ninth consecutive year!

Topping the individual awards was Naomi Fletcher, FN Karratha, who took home WA Property Manager of the Year; Amy Doran of FN Hedland (Port Hedland) who won WA Business Development Manager of the Year, and Rick Hockey of FN Hedland (Port Hedland), who achieved WA Salesperson of the Year.

For more details, hop over to FN Central’s newsfeed where you will find the names of all award winners as well as a media release template. Make sure you update your website with the valuable information about your awards, for optimal AI search visibility.

Older Australians Becoming a Housing Pain Point

👓 3 minute read

New data shows Australia’s buyer landscape has fragmented, and each group is behaving differently under pressure. It has also emerged that higher mortgage rates are causing pain for older homeowners than you might have thought. Salespeople who adjust their approach will win more listings and close more sales.

First home buyers (18–35)

This cohort remains active despite rate pressure. Enquiry levels are still rising, supported by government schemes and a strong desire to enter the market. They are price sensitive and highly informed. Many are stretching to secure a foothold rather than waiting for ideal conditions.

What matters:

• Clear price guidance and realistic expectations
• Access to entry-level stock and off-market opportunities
• Strong education around buying process and finance constraints

First National recommends you position listings to feel attainable, not aspirational.

Upgraders and family buyers (35–55)

This group is more cautious. They are balancing equity gains against higher borrowing costs and household expenses. Many are only moving if there is a clear lifestyle or financial benefit. Refinancing activity is increasing, signalling pressure on existing loans.

What matters:

• Certainty of sale before purchase
• Flexible settlement terms
• Confidence in pricing strategy to avoid extended days on market

Are you reducing perceived risk at every step?

Equity-rich and downsizers (55+)

This is where the market is shifting. Older Australians are becoming more active, particularly in refinancing and restructuring debt. Many still carry mortgages later in life and are feeling cost-of-living pressure. Decisions are more financially driven than lifestyle-driven.

What matters:

• Clear financial outcomes, not just property features
• Low-maintenance, well-located stock
• Confidence in timing and execution

First National recommends you talk to them about financial security rather than lifestyle alone, but be careful not to create the perception of giving financial advice (which is illegal for estate agents to do).

Investors

Investors remain selective. Yield, vacancy rates and holding costs are driving decisions more than capital growth narratives. They are cautious but will act quickly when the numbers align.

What matters:

• Data-led conversations
• Rental performance and local demand insights
• Efficient transaction processes

Are you leading with evidence or opinion? Make sure you’re using AI to pool relevant data to this group.

The market is not slowing evenly. It is diverging.

Salespeople who recognise how each cohort thinks, funds and decides will outperform those relying on a single message.

FN Byron Bay & FN Patterson Excel at NSW State Awards

👓 1 minute read

In New South Wales at Le Montage, FN Byron Bay was announced winner of NSW Sales Office of the Year and FN Patterson (Port Macquarie) was announced NSW Property Management Office of the Year.

Topping the individual awards were Rebecca Lewis of FN Patterson (Port Macquarie) who took home NSW Property Manager of the Year; Sophie Moir, FN Byron Bay who won NSW Business Development Manager of the Year, and Rebecca Dean, FN Port Stephens (Salamander Bay) who achieved NSW Salesperson of the Year. 

Head to FN Central’s newsfeed for all the details as a media release template, and don’t forget to update your website with the information about your awards, for optimal AI search visibility.

New Zealand: Principals’ Retreat

👓 15 second read

Calling all Kiwis! 

This year’s Principals’ Retreat is scheduled for Wednesday, 6 May 2026 at Rydges Wellington. 

You will find all the necessary details in Chapter 2, Learning & Development.

VIC/TAS State Awards Reveal 2025’s Top Performers 

👓 1 minute read

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It was a huge night at the Plaza Ballroom in Melbourne last Saturday.

During the evening, FN Charles L. King & Co (Echuca) was announced winner of Vic/Tas Sales Office of the Year and FN Hall & Partners (Dandenong) was announced Vic/Tas Property Management Office of the Year.

Topping the individual awards were Jackie Lyons, FN Hall & Partners (Dandenong) who took home Vic/Tas Property Manager of the Year; Lisa Greene, FN Hall & Partners (Dandenong) who won Vic/Tas Business Development Manager of the Year, and Simon Burns, FN Latrobe (Traralgon) who achieved Vic/Tas Salesperson of the Year. 

Head to FN Central’s newsfeed for all the details as a media release template, and don’t forget to update your website with the information about your awards, for optimal AI search visibility.

Huge Changes Coming to NSW Tenancy Law, Beware $50,000 fines

📹 5 minute video briefing

👓5 minute read

The NSW Government recently held a hearing concerning the Residential Tenancies Amendment (Protection of Personal Information) Bill 2025. We’ve summarised the changes we’re likely to see in the above AI video briefing.

Fortunately, First National members occupy two seats on the REINSW Property Management Committee - Ali Haggarty (FN Maitland) and Jason Partridge (FN Patterson, Port Macquarie). 

Jason Partridge was invited to speak before a NSW Legislative Council hearing on behalf of our membership about the plethora of unclear matters and their potential impacts on landlords.

In his presentation, Jason supported stronger tenant privacy protections but raised practical concerns with the proposed Bill. He emphasised the need for property managers to verify identity, financial capacity and rental history to protect both tenants and landlords. He however, also argued that restrictions may increase financial risk and limit responsible tenancy management. He highlighted the interconnected nature of renters, investors and managers, and cautioned against reforms that could reduce rental supply. In essence, he asserted that the industry supports reform but seeks further consultation to ensure balanced, workable outcomes without discouraging investment.

What may soon change in practice

The amendment seeks to tighten how tenant data is collected, used and stored. It aligns tenancy practice with national privacy standards and reduces reliance on third-party platforms.

• Australian Privacy Principles apply

  Landlords, agents and PropTech providers must comply with APPs. Treat tenant data with the same discipline expected of regulated industries 

• Direct data collection required

  Provide tenants with a clear option to submit information directly. Do not rely solely on third-party application platforms without consent 

• Identity verification restricted

  Only collect ID where there is a genuine intention to enter into a tenancy and this has been confirmed in writing. Destroy ID documents as soon as reasonably practicable after verification or agreement 

• Data minimisation and disposal

  Do not collect unnecessary information. If data is collected improperly, destroy it within two business days of becoming aware 

• Tenancy database transparency

  Tenants can confirm listings and receive copies free of charge. Listings must relate to an actual breach of agreement 

   

Operational obligations

• Applications and inspections

  Use the approved application form. Do not accept applications before an inspection unless waived in writing 

• Advertising disclosure

  State if the property is part of an embedded network. Disclose if images are digitally altered in a way that could mislead (no blue sky adjustments without disclosure)

• Rent records

  Provide a full tenancy rent record within seven days of termination 

• Database accuracy 

  Act promptly to correct or remove inaccurate or outdated listings 

Risk and compliance

• Penalties increase for breaches, including non-compliance with privacy principles 
• Charging tenants for access to their own database information attracts penalties 

What should you review now

• Are your application processes compliant without third-party dependency 
• How quickly can your office securely delete sensitive data 
• Do your advertising templates disclose all required information 
• Is your tenancy database process accurate and auditable 

Tight controls over data are no longer optional. They will form part of everyday agency compliance.