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The AMAs returned to celebrate the exceptional achievements of Australia's mortgage finance professionals
The atmosphere was buzzing when 850 guests gathered at The Fullerton Hotel Sydney on Friday, 17 October, to celebrate Australia’s diverse, innovative mortgage broking industry.
Few would have believed MC Dave Hughes was fresh out of his second hospital stint for AFL-related injuries. He kept the crowd alive with his typical larrikin antics before passing the mic to Australian music legend Daryl Braithwaite.
Braithwaite brought the masses to a fever pitch with an extended version of his timeless 90s classic “The Horses,” among other hits. Many a chorus was sung, and many a table was stood upon.
The night was made possible by event partner Westpac, premium partners Liberty and NAB, and a raft of award sponsors.
“The AMAs are a great opportunity to come together, recognise the achievements of our peers and reflect on how far we’ve come,” said David Smith, chief distribution officer of Liberty. “It’s also a chance to connect with brokers, lenders and partners who are all playing a part in shaping the future of mortgage lending.”
“It’s great to come together, celebrate success [and] celebrate excellence,” said NAB executive broker distribution Adam Brown. “It’s great to recognise and give a little back and really value the people that do so much to support Australians getting their homes.”
Credit is also due to the AMAs’ judges, whose dedication did not go unnoticed. This year’s judging panel included some of the most prominent figures in broking: Jean-Pierre Gortan – managing director, Simplicity Loans & Advisory; Anja Pannek – chief executive, Mortgage and Finance Association of Australia (MFAA); Peter White – managing director, Finance Brokers Association of Australia; and Cory Bannister – senior vice president, chief lending officer, La Trobe Financial.
“Participating in the judging panel for the AMAs is a tremendous privilege − to be entrusted with the responsibility of evaluating the very top performers in our industry,” said Bannister.
As for the award winners, the evening surely belonged to Katie Thomas and the Focus Finance team.
Thomas picked up not one but two gongs, taking home NAB Broker of the Year – Regional and the biggest award of the night, Westpac Australian Broker of the Year. She attributed her wins to “the genuine care for our team and our clients and everybody that we work with”.
Focus Finance’s celebrations didn’t end there, as a “very shocked and really excited” Maddison Brown was also named Bendigo Bank Broker Young Gun of the Year. Brown highlighted Focus Finance’s “great culture” and “really supportive” environment as key factors in her achievement.
Bluestone was awarded Rate Money Non-Bank of the Year, with chief commercial officer Tony MacRae describing the win as “a fabulous thrill and a great recognition of the whole team,” and adding, “The AMAs have always been regarded as the Logies of the mortgage industry, so to pick up one of these is a great thrill.”
Westpac is proud principal partner of the Australian Mortgage Awards.
Now in our 17th consecutive year as a principal partner, we remain committed to supporting brokers and their customers.
The AMAs continue to be the premier recognition event for brokers and aggregators, providing an opportunity to showcase the exceptional contributions across our industry and celebrate those achievements together.
Our broker and aggregator partners exemplify excellence. Your expertise and commitment to helping customers navigate an ever-changing environment is invaluable.
Many Australians place their trust in mortgage brokers for personalised guidance and advice, and that trust is reflected in the number of people choosing to work with you.
Thank you for your ongoing partnership and support.
Congratulations to all the nominees, finalists and winners – we wish you every success.
Sarah Willsallen
Head of Broker Distribution
Westpac Group
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Nominations
A nationwide call for nominations was conducted from June to July 2025 through the online channels of MPA and Australian Broker.
Research and selection of Excellence Awardees
The Australian Mortgage Awards team reviewed the submissions and drew on knowledge and information gained through MPA’s and Australian Broker’s connections to the mortgage industry to identify the most outstanding brokers, brokerages, lenders, aggregators and BDMs in each category that would receive an Excellence Award.
Confirmation of Excellence Awardees
Once the research was completed, Excellence Awardees were selected in each category and notified via email. Excellence Awardees were also announced on the MPA and Australian Broker websites.
Judging
The Australian Mortgage Awards team sent completed Excellence Awardee submissions to an independent panel of judges comprising mortgage industry leaders and senior representatives. The judges are well known and well respected in the industry, and their judgment was impartial, balanced, incisive and fair. Any judge with a conflict of interest in a particular category recused themselves from judging that category.
Awards ceremony
The winners in each category were revealed at the Australian Mortgage Awards official gala event and awards ceremony on Friday, 17 October 2025 at The Fullerton Hotel Sydney. The list of winners was also published on the MPA and Australian Broker websites.
