2026 Predictions And Marty's Final Episode

Jason · 00:00Welcome to episode 262 of the Numbers Game. I'm Jace. I'm here with Nick and Marty. Guys, it is that exciting time of the year again where we go back and look at our 2025 predictions and then we make our 2026 predictions. I'm gonna say straight out, I'm not looking forward to this episode 'cause I don't think I had a very good year, but more of that later, I think we'll do me last, uh, Marty.

Jason · 00:21Nick, how you guys going?

Marty · 00:22Well, I think, I think we did all right. Nick did? Yeah. Didn't we? Yeah. Well

Nick · 00:25some people. Okay. Okay. You guys keep putting the bombers in there, so that's, you're at least gonna get one wrong. Um, come on, Nick. I don't know if swear the episode. No, not I'm, I'm looking though. At 2025, we didn't really go in a limb, to be honest.

Nick · 00:38I'm actually a little bit disappointed. No, all I think all of us, all of us a little bit

Jason · 00:41safe. Were we? I think so. Yeah. Okay. Well, let's, let's crack in then. Who wants to go first? I'll, uh, go through your predictions. You can tell me whether you think it was a fail or a pass.

Marty · 00:50Oh, I'm happy to go. Yeah, you go Nick, look stupid first.

Jason · 00:53Well, Nick, you're, uh, your first prediction for 2025 was a liberal party win at the 2025 federal election.

Nick · 01:00Incorrect? Yeah.

Jason · 01:02Yeah. By law won.

Nick · 01:03By a lot. Uh, yeah. It wasn't even close, but it's not they, it's Peter Dutton's fault, no one else's. So, yeah. True. And, and I must say pass back there.

Jason · 01:11I was with you on that prediction too, I thought.

Jason · 01:13Anyway, we, we won't go into politics. It's not the kind of, uh, podcast that we are. Yep. Uh, we're gonna get through the 25 predictions quick. Uh, tell me about your Australian economy struggles prediction.

Nick · 01:24Uh, spot on, um, GDP growth below 2%. So June quarter 2025, north 0.6, um, June, 2024, 1.8, but just nowhere. GDP grew by 1.3% over the 24 25 fin year.

Nick · 01:40So I'm back. Uh, one from two.

Jason · 01:44One from two very, very nice. And US economy pumps under Trump.

Nick · 01:51Yep. Um, yes. And I was referring to the share market. The sugar hit from Trump returning, and I think I was right. Um, the US s and p 500 in index January 20, 25, 5 8, 6 8, uh, November, 2025, so not quite 12 months, but 6 8, 1 6 was is a 16% jump and I'm now two from three.

Jason · 02:16Two from three. Might have to get a running tally on, uh, all of our predictions over time. It's been a while, but uh, we'll take two from three. We'll take two from three. No, I was gonna

Nick · 02:23cross check these numbers. Are they,

Jason · 02:24nah, nah,

Nick · 02:25just takes that word for it. People on YouTube will, don't worry.

Jason · 02:28Oh, one thing you don't wanna do is go and read the YouTube comment.

Jason · 02:32So red one, back to Nick today. And I was, uh, oh. Cuts deep. But anyway, keep it coming. Go and click subscribe. Get us some, uh, ad revenue. Uh, Marty, we'll pump through yours, mate. So we want more. Oh. Really?

Marty · 02:44Yeah. You had unemployment. Unemployment.

Jason · 02:46Oh,

Marty · 02:47well I've got it right too. Otherwise I wouldn't have brought it up.

Marty · 02:49No, I've got two more. I thought

Jason · 02:50that was part of your Australian economy. Oh, yeah. How, how many

Marty · 02:52predictions did you do?

Nick · 02:53You

Jason · 02:53actually really? Yeah. Okay. Just got a carry on. Nick

Marty · 02:57got a couple

Jason · 02:57of pages. You, you just host the show then just go for it.

Nick · 02:59Well, the other two I had was the, the rising unemployment. So October 20, 25, 4 0.4%.

Nick · 03:06Um, same period last year, 4%. So that one was correct. And Aussie Share Market under forms. Just, so, um, January, 2020 5 8 2 0 1. Uh, as of. November the 26th. 8, 6, 0, 6. So 4.9% up. So still a return, but you could say underperform compared to the us. Compared to Marty's portfolio.

Marty · 03:31Pretty good. Pretty good. Yeah.

Nick · 03:33I'm just about out now.

Nick · 03:34What's your strike rate? Four outta five, mate. Four

Jason · 03:36outta five. Who, who let Nick make five predictions last year. I don't dunno if that was Well, and

Nick · 03:41I didn't go into limb, so I will. Um, yeah. All right. Let's, let's get to Jace. Let's

Marty · 03:45get, yeah. Do you wanna do me go for it? Yeah, let's go for it. Let's do you, let's do you.

Marty · 03:49Alright. Number one, ar vr becomes mainstream in home.

Jason · 03:53Yeah. Well, look, I think I was a bit excited by Applewood doing a lot of advertising at time for their big, you know, virtual reality headsets. Yeah. And, you know, you were pinching things and doing cool stuff. But Yeah. Now that I think back, I'm like. I don't know what I was thinking.

Jason · 04:06It was, I, I probably coming off a couple of Christmas parties the night before of recording that episode. It was around the, probably went to a

Nick · 04:12zero conference or something and got sold something.

Jason · 04:14Yeah. Yeah. Just all the, the hype and the marketing. So, uh, yeah. I'm gonna definitely fail for that one. I think

Marty · 04:21I, I'm not laughing though, because you are probably looking at three years.

Marty · 04:25I think you are, you're just thinking of. Couple of years ahead.

Jason · 04:28I'm, I'm not putting it in this year's predictions, but you know, like what your glasses are. They need, they're tightening them up now and making them more into the, the meta glasses and the, you know, those things. So they'll appear what, rather than being a big VR headset.

Jason · 04:40Yeah. It's now gonna look like a normal pair of glasses. You'll have the cameras and the sound and. It'll have visual displays and it'll look like a pair of glasses, like what you're wearing. Okay. So, but that's, that might be my 2027 thing. So just scrap that one for now. Okay. So we'll be in the Metaverse 2027.

Jason · 04:54So I'm zero from one.

Marty · 04:56Uh, personal AI agents. AI agents, Jarvis here becoming common.

Jason · 05:03I, it's, it's, well, AI agents, like, you know, I talk to chatty all the time and you know, you talk to her. Chatty, chatty, chatty. Yeah. What do you guys call her? I don't know, chat, GPT, I'm still on the more formal. Uh, no, but chatty.

Jason · 05:19No chatty, chatty. And I talk a lot. So I feel like, you know, from an AI agent or an assistant point of view, I mean, I have one, but becoming common is probably a bit of a stretch. Um, I think, I think I'm on the right. Trend, but again, adoption timing, probably a little bit too optimistic. Um, yeah, zero of two.

Jason · 05:37Zero of two. Yeah. This, this is going real well for me.

Marty · 05:39Thanks. Okay. Alright. Number three, public understanding and business use of blockchain surges. This is interesting 'cause we, I don't think we are that far away, but I don't think we can give you a Yes.

Jason · 05:50Come on. Well, you know, my, my, uh, argument here was that crypto bitcoin hit new all time highs.

Jason · 05:57Um, so that drove attention towards blockchain. Cryptocurrency doesn't exist without blockchain and the technology there. So I think the Australian awareness. Up, um, institutional and retail participation grew. Um, I would like to give myself a, a pass on that one, that blockchain. Um,

Nick · 06:16is that a stretch? I'd love to ring 10 people and say, explain blockchain if we, if we had time.

Nick · 06:23Um. All right. Zero from three. Look, if you wanna

Jason · 06:27take it. Nah, no, gimme go from three. Cheating yourself. Really. Do you think,

Marty · 06:30think, uh, Bitcoin will sort of, uh, help the US dollar or be connected to the US dollar, do you think that?

Jason · 06:37Not yet. Nah. No. I'm not getting into any more predictions that I haven't thought through properly.

Jason · 06:42Testing the water for

Nick · 06:42non, for non-techie. You went very tech statements. Think I was

Jason · 06:46just in the zone. I was just like, tech's coming, like AI's booming. Let's go. Go back to

Nick · 06:50Martys. Last episode, just remember what got you, where you are. Just the 20% simple, simple things that work. Simple things, not numbers,

Marty · 06:57numbers, numbers.

Marty · 06:58Uh uh, number four, GST reform discussions increase possible move to 12.5%. Where's it at? 10%. I'll give you a pass on that. Yeah, yeah. I'm,

Jason · 07:09I'm taking one from four and I don't care. I'm glad, I'm glad you agreed. I was just gonna say, but no, I think, um, there is a lot of noise around just overall tax reform. Um, and there's a few things into my current predictions that we'll wait for, but.

Jason · 07:22There's definite noise around GST reform as we touched on, there's a, there's an app that we did earlier around what it would look like to have an increased GST, but then lower marginal tax rates. And I knew, I know we copped a bit of crap and a few comments that people thought it was, you know, unrealistic to increase GST because the government never kind of pulls back taxes elsewhere, which historically it kind of feels that way.

Jason · 07:42Um, but yeah, I think there's still, there's a lot to be done in that space, but there is a lot more noise, more articles kind of popping up. So I'm had gonna have to take one and that'll be my one from four. So

Marty · 07:52Well done mate.

Jason · 07:53Oh, I dunno if I need a well done, I need a, you know, just do, do better next

Marty · 07:57time.

Marty · 07:58Gonna bit encouraged. But, um, Marty, for you. I went generic enough that I think I squeezed into a few of these, which is, uh, usually my game plan.

Jason · 08:06All right. All at least three rate cuts in 2025 that happened.

Marty · 08:11Bang,

Jason · 08:11bang, bang.

Marty · 08:11Yep. Feb, may and August. So that was, uh, that was a tick, so I'm happy with that. It's sort won't win a flag.

Marty · 08:19You're not getting that? No, we're just shit. Getting that, that's the, that doesn't count. If I get

Jason · 08:24one from four, you're not getting a one for that. So

Marty · 08:26you, but we are getting a top 10 next year.

Jason · 08:29Yeah, don't, don't, don't, don't ruin 2026 predictions. Alright.

Marty · 08:33Alright. So me,

Jason · 08:34Melbourne property surges 14 to 15%. No.

Marty · 08:37No, 3.3% and I think it's, um, yeah, just capacity.

Jason · 08:43Do you lose one if you're that far wrong? Do we, do we, do we take a point off? No, no,

Marty · 08:49no kidding. I'll play that guy. But no, that's, uh, you know, certainly I thought the rate cuts would drive, uh, Melbourne higher, but. I think it just comes down to borrowing capacity and from what we're seeing in 2026, which we'll go into, I think, uh, APRA's doing a few things to make sure that stays the same way, but, um, that's a bit disappointing.

Marty · 09:07Yeah. Um, actually,

Jason · 09:09so,

Marty · 09:10uh, number

Jason · 09:10four, well number three, 'cause I'm not giving you the SN M1. Yep. Rise in public awareness around tech and mental health.

Marty · 09:16I think that's. I'm, I'm, I think I could take a tick on that, just with what's going on with kids and social media and getting 'em off, um, until the age of 16.

Marty · 09:26So I thought that was gonna be a real problem. Well, I think the, when did the age

Nick · 09:29restrictions come in? That would be this year. Yep. Social media.

Marty · 09:32Yeah. So that's pretty good. And I think that is good because I just felt like that was, um, yeah, that was gonna be a bigger problem down the track for everyone.

Marty · 09:40Um, yeah.

Jason · 09:41Yeah. I'll give you that. Uh, I, I agree. And this one tell me Marty, early stage prediction. Future Robot Olympics 2034. I mean, uh, were you just expecting it to be spoken about or, or put on the calendar or what? No,

Marty · 09:55no, I think, uh, I, I, that's just a flat dead, no. Yeah. Um, I'd like to see it still, but, uh, 2034, we've got some skin of the go there in regards, so that was just a longer term one, so I've not taken that one.

Nick · 10:07The host nation would've been chosen by now. Wouldn't you think in the Metaverse only got nine years to,

Jason · 10:14everyone can watch it with their VR headsets. Uh, so it's gonna be great. And a couple there. Two outta four. I think I'm okay with that. I'm okay with that. So Nick, Nick, Nick gets the, uh, the chalkies for the 25 predictions.

Jason · 10:26So we we're gonna throw you then first straight up for the 26th predictions there, Ben. Okay. Lead in strong, I think. I think it's gonna be our best year yet. Okay.

Nick · 10:34Um, so number one, me? Yeah. I think you or Nick. Okay. Yeah. So the, the rise of the modular home, so mm-hmm. You're starting to see a little bit of this, but the challenge at the moment is, um, consumers or, you know, normal people that want to buy modular homes to being able to get funding.

Nick · 10:53So I think. Next year, you'll see banks start to loosen their, uh, lending policies, uh, on modular homes, and it will become more of a thing. So when you go to build a new house, you'll have the option of going to a normal builder like a Simmons, for example. Um, or you could bring in a modular home and you'll be able to get that funded, uh, in a reasonable way, which you can't at the moment,

Jason · 11:14which is a big

Nick · 11:15problem,

Jason · 11:15especially around housing affordability.

Jason · 11:17I think that's a, that's a great change, big time. And they need

Nick · 11:20the banks to come to the party to make that happen. I think we'll share a, a share market correction in the next 12 months, and I'll give you a number on that correction in this case, I think 10% plus. Um, I think the market is just waiting for a reason to do that.

Nick · 11:37Mm-hmm. Share marks at all time highs, so looking for a 10% swing downwards in the next 12 months. Uh, so cash up and get ready to go. Mm-hmm. Money's been ready for a while. Ready? Um, one of the major economies bucks the trend and we have an interest rate hike. Mm. Um, so whether it's USA Australia, Europe, um, with inflation, we had a bit of a scare here recently on our inflation rate, the price of energy, food prices, everything's been about downward interest rates.

Nick · 12:10Uh, my bold prediction is at some stage next year, we'll see an increase somewhere,

Jason · 12:14which will be

Nick · 12:14significant.

Jason · 12:16I was hoping someone was gonna go there. Uh, '

Nick · 12:18cause I, I went there,

Jason · 12:19I felt the same. So yeah. I'm,

Nick · 12:21you don't get a point this year. Jumping next. I'm jumping on your coattails though. What happens

Marty · 12:24if we've got, three of us have got the same thing?

Marty · 12:27I'm just gonna claim an extra point next year then.

Nick · 12:29So you all chat. GP t this Or chatty? Oh, sorry. Chatty, chatty, chatty chat. Um, a major geopolitical event that will bring everyone back together. Do you know and settle tension.

Jason · 12:43You clear bomb. Now that you've asked if we all chatted it a geopolitical event is,

Nick · 12:47so what I think could happen is a, a major leader is gone.

Nick · 12:52Okay. Um, so Trump, Putin. Oh wow. So this is like maybe, I think something big, something significant. I think it's fascination or two. Okay. I think it's brewing. I like that you, JJ Ping Xi Jingping. Something big that's gonna, well, did go

Marty · 13:07down the Alli Musk in jail so he, you know, two years ago, you just never know he's gonna get one of these Right.

Nick · 13:13Maybe's. I think that's a big chance next year.

Jason · 13:15He went safe last year and got four outta five and you know, he's got the confidence up now to go a little bit less. Yeah, I like that. I like that. Well I think

Nick · 13:22that's, uh, I think something big's gonna happen there. It has to.

Jason · 13:26Things maybe settled down. Maybe, maybe that ties in with, uh, some kind of share market correction or a Yeah.

Jason · 13:30Interest rate hike. They could, you could just get three in one go at some point. I'm waiting for the text in Domino Effect, waiting for the text in 2026 where he goes three, three outta four tick. Done.

Nick · 13:40And my biggest and boldest prediction, drum roll. Um, Marty Kovic, obviously, um, less, more time in his hands, no podcasts.

Nick · 13:51Um, he's, he's exited our business as well. For those who don't know, um, God, he's got all these AI agents he's just mentioned, so he's got a lot of time in his hands. So I'm tipping, um, a Mr. Olympia Masters, uh, qualifying ends August 30th, 2026. Right. I'm tipping that you qualify for Mr. Olympia 2026 in the masters category.

Marty · 14:16Wow. That is certainly

Nick · 14:17never gonna happen. All this new time on your hands, and you may

Marty · 14:19as well just take that point off now.

Nick · 14:21Dropped it

Marty · 14:2118 kilos.

Nick · 14:22Yep. Recently. Yeah. On a mission that's, I'm just gonna put that out there. Yeah. But when, and maybe it's a challenge and a prediction. I don't know. You planted

Jason · 14:30the seed here.

Jason · 14:30I reckon he is gonna walk out of this going, I'm not doing it, but it's gonna be there. It's gonna, I just wanna see what happens from here. It's gonna be weighing and the only

Marty · 14:36seeds I'm planting is for broccoli at the moment. I'm, I, I put my calf. In the veggie garden the other day and I'm going, there's gonna be no Mr.

Marty · 14:45Olympia, I can tell you right

Nick · 14:46now, I wanna see you turning Sidewards to get through that door in six months time when we bring him back in just to see what he's up jacked. Jack. I might do that if my breast keep getting bigger. So, so that's it, that's my five. Um, pretty good. Good luck to all players.

Jason · 15:00Yeah.

Jason · 15:01Okay. So we do five so we can actually like match it up. Five. Okay, cool. Yeah, we'll bring Marty back in a year. I'm

Nick · 15:07interested to see how Marty reacts to this.

Jason · 15:09What, what,

Marty · 15:10which bit. Mr. Olympia, Mr. Olympia thing. Oh, I'm thinking about the assassination. I I, nobody

Nick · 15:15said that. I'm not saying assassination, didn't you?

Nick · 15:17No. No. A major event,

Marty · 15:19geopolitical don't, to me, that was

Jason · 15:21just assassination. All over f b's. Gonna get the link to this episode now. Go like, oh, do you know how AI works? Anyway, Marty back on track. I'm gonna let you go next to then determine how, how much I need to change my predictions to make sure I get more right than you.

Marty · 15:34I've got, I've got some big things. But, um, some very generic things. Again, I think there'll be one interest rate increase next year. Um, some people even start and talk about two Australia, in Australia, okay, for inflation. But I'm going with one. One. I think they'll use scare tactics. Uh, I think they're very concerned and APRA is concerned.

Marty · 15:53As well as I think just in general that the property market will explode and they don't want that to happen. So I think it's um, gonna be curtailed.

Nick · 16:01Just on that. And not to interrupt, but did you see what Ara recently, so Ara have recently six times income was it brought restrictions out on um, people with high DTI.

Nick · 16:11So debt to income ratios. So if your DTI is six times, um, they're only, the bank is only allowed to have 20% of their annual lending go to people with that DTI. Wow.

Marty · 16:22Big. Yeah. Yeah. Wow.

Nick · 16:24So

Marty · 16:25is that for the major banks or It would just be majors. So the non-conforming, the second tier lenders great for brokers.

Marty · 16:32Great for brokers, yeah. That's all right,

Jason · 16:34Marty. I've got, I'm adding a prediction, Marty's back in the game next year.

Marty · 16:38I'm talking to Nick after the show. Uh, so I think one interest rate, uh, increase next year. So I think they'll, it'll be a scare tactic. It'll do what it needs to do, but people will do it tough because, uh, I think it's the government spending that's causing the core inflation to go up.

Marty · 16:53Mm-hmm. So I still think people are doing it, uh, pretty, pretty tough. Um. Well, I've already said a PRA is looking to cool the lending market. So, uh, we've already spoken about that, but I think the rise of the robot. Now, this is a big call for me because I've got a be Jason Robinson here. We saw how well that went, but I, I think it's gonna be a really good year for business, strangely enough, because the one thing, and this could save the US market as well, in regards to the efficiencies that this tech is bringing in.

Marty · 17:25Like I'm thinking if you can get 10 x productivity. At one 10th of the cost, then surely these big companies will start to create margin. So I think unemployment's gonna be an issue because people aren't going to hire when they don't, they, they could do this through tech. So I really feel like. We are gonna see a changing of the guard where we're all in on this tech.

Marty · 17:48And I, I wouldn't be surprised if we start seeing, uh, the first robot come into our, our businesses in 2026. And that will be something that, uh, I think we'll see a lot more of, um, moving forward. So. Think about it again. I just feel like we always think in business, you know, high expense base, this is a way where expense base can come down and we can still fuel that front end and increase margin.

Marty · 18:14It just makes so much sense. Um, as long as the tech is relevant and does what we need it to do. So I think it could be really great. I think unemployment rate will rise. Um, banks won't need credit managers anymore. They just won't need them. In the end, it'll all be done. It'll all be done, um, through ai. Um, they won't need bankers.

Marty · 18:36They'll go direct to market using their tech play, which will be good for brokers as well. 'cause we'll still maintain relationships. And think about it, Nick, no payroll tax chase, no payroll tax. Can they payroll tax robots?

Jason · 18:48Uh, don't surely not see if, if the government's listening, you're putting, you're putting ideas in their mind already that you know where there's.

Jason · 18:56Like, like the EV road charges. Like, you know, if they said, oh, you, you know, if you don't wanna pay fuel excise, you have an ev. Now all of a sudden they weren't collecting tax on ev. So you know what, it's, don't give them ideas on robot taxes.

Nick · 19:06No, it's, it's a really good point, and you might know this better than I do, but they must be thinking about productivity.

Marty · 19:13Yeah.

Nick · 19:14And it's not just payroll tax, it's PAYG tax. Yeah. Cost. So if people are doing far more in business with less people or humans or workers, they'd definitely be thinking about that. When they look, they're projecting out numbers, budgets.

Marty · 19:29I'll get more tax on

Nick · 19:30profitability.

Marty · 19:31I'm sure they'll leave us alone for a bit.

Marty · 19:33Jason, can you see into that, please? Yes. Uh, look, I, I really think the, the more I'm looking into it, the more I'm reading on it, I think this is gonna be a huge transformative year. I think AI has the IQ now of 150. Mm-hmm. You know, and you go, and in another 12 months it's gonna be over 200. So you are, you've got now technology that's actually going to have more knowledge than a doctor, than a lawyer.

Marty · 19:58It's gonna have more precise, you know, surgery capabilities than what a doctor will have. Like, even in regards to misdiagnosis, you know, now AI's coming in. Like 40% of the time, you know, they're finding this second opinion on ai, even though it's not perfect yet, is actually, um, exposing a lot of inefficiencies as well.

Marty · 20:19So you go, you look at Waymo with Google, with the, you know, selfless. Was it self driverless cars? Driverless cars? Like I go. You know, boring. But again, 40% less accidents already. So you go, it's humans, it's human error that causes the

Jason · 20:35accidents. We

Marty · 20:35are the problem. We are the problem. So we need to be able to utilize this technology to effect, but I, I feel like.

Marty · 20:42I'm starting to get a real understanding that, um, strategic thinking and utilizing these technologies in the way we can think up ideas to, you know, better the world, better businesses, better people's lives is, is gonna be very, very relevant. Because you are gonna have someone in your office that's gonna be working 24 7, higher productivity.

Marty · 21:03You're gonna be paying the robot maybe, you know, 10 grand a year to have them. Um, and I, and I think we look, it might be a few years out. But I can see where it's heading, and in one way it's scary in another way, it's exciting. I, I think school will change. I, I honestly believe that, um, there's a, there's a school in the US called Alpha Schools already, where the kids do two hours of, um, legitimate technical work on their learning.

Marty · 21:29And then they're in the top 1% of everyone that's graded, um, in the school system, in in America. And in the afternoon they're doing project work. So they're either working on a business, working on a project of interest. So it's all. Changing dramatically. So I think this will be the year of, um, transformation and um, and I just.

Marty · 21:50It's gonna be weird seeing someone taking notes. That's a robot in the, in the office. But anyway, I think, I think it will happen, and I think even politics may change instead of it being liberal and labor, I think there'll be a humanist party and a futurist party. I think there'll be people. Probably in my demographic that will be holding onto the past that will want, you know, people engagement at the core and then there'll be, you know, forward thinking people that want to take, you know, take everything to the next level as well.

Marty · 22:18So I think we'll start to see a shift in how even politics are run. So that's, that's, it's a lot in one, nah, one hit, but I go, they're the sort of things I've been thinking of and I find, I listen to a few podcasts and read a few books on it and I'm going, oh wow. You know, you are gonna have robots doing surgery at a much better capacity and level, and they're not gonna be tired.

Marty · 22:41Mm. You know they're gonna do the right job every time. Now they're not gonna fully transition till it's where it needs to be, but already we're getting evidence that it's a lot better than what we can do. So how do you think about that being superseded? In every way, shape, or form, how do we utilize this to advantage?

Marty · 22:59And that's the, that's where we, our heads are gonna go, which is really

Jason · 23:02unusual for us to think. I don't mind the prediction, Marty. I think a robots, what we're seeing in the accounting world, even with the robots that, you know, can operate on a computer and, you know, we did a course with a, a. Um, a lady who runs a business down in Mornington, she's now, she got robots all running, working in her accounting firm, and instead of going, oh, holding all that tech and what she's done in, she's then run a training course.

Jason · 23:25So all these other accounting firms can go and learn how she did it. And she got a guy from Singapore, um, darl from Sky Bots, absolute guru. And, you know, they're, they're now training more accounting firms to be able to use robots to do the things that, you know, again, you can pay a human to sit there and click these buttons over and over again to do a.

Jason · 23:42Bass or an IAS or reconcile file. But if a robot can do it, as you said, 24 hours a day, you can run the computers to go through a list of files, pull out all the info you need, which is the same every month, every quarter. It's all repeatedly free up the human to do the human stuff. That's of high value.

Jason · 23:57The advisory, the phone call to check in and see if a client's doing okay. Um, you know, looking into the numbers. Say, Hey, your numbers are 5% down, you know, quarter on quarter or something going on. Do you need a hand or can we refer you onto someone for some cashflow help? Or whatever it is, but. It's exciting.

Jason · 24:12Yeah. The robot idea to what we do with the extra time that we get from using that is, is where happens. Well I think the thing, what

Marty · 24:17people aren't anticipating at the moment, it's very literal in regards to what it does, but it's gonna become dynamic and assumptive and, you know, you look at banks, they're not gonna need half the people that are in there.

Marty · 24:27It's, um, it, it really is gonna changing of the guard. So, um, we need to be prepared. Yeah. So that's, uh, my big prediction for next year. Any others? Uh, that's about it. Es it's still gonna be crap. Yep. That's it. I had the interest rate core inflation due to government spending. And a PR is calling the lending market.

Jason · 24:46No chart toppers. You want that? Go on. Uh,

Marty · 24:48well look, I, I think the other thing that will happen is I have, I wasn't gonna put this in, but I feel like, uh, just dunno how many you had. Are you going

Jason · 24:55for seven? From seven or seven? Well, I

Marty · 24:56think even music, the music we listen to. Will be AI produced. So, and how do we feel about that as a, you know, as creative people out there producing music and we're, it's already happening, but we are gonna have chart toppers that never go through, uh, a human hand or a human mind.

Marty · 25:15And I think that's the other thing we're gonna start to see in the top 10. We're gonna have total AI songs actually getting trending and doing very, very well. I don't know how I feel about that, but I feel like that is absolutely so. So my tip is a number one hit that never touches a human hands in the next 12 months.

Marty · 25:34In the next 12 months. Oof.

Jason · 25:36Yeah. Okay. I, I won't be

Marty · 25:40here next year, so it doesn't matter. Nah, I'm going for it. We'll drag you back in. I drag you back in though. Special we, we'll have you back. Or

Jason · 25:46actually, my fifth prediction then, since I didn't have a fifth one, is we're gonna make an AI Marty who will do a e do an episode, a full numbers game episode with Jason Nick.

Jason · 25:56Our listeners won't know the difference that it wasn't really Marty that came back, uh, to do the,

Marty · 26:00is it gonna be the Mr. Olympia robot? Ah, it could well be. Now we're talking

Jason · 26:05actually. Yeah. That, that could work. Yeah. It would be

Marty · 26:07very easy to do. I love seeing you play out your fantasies. Just,

Jason · 26:10we'll take a picture of him before he leaves and it's almost there.

Jason · 26:12So, uh, alright. My predictions, I'm definitely gonna try and, uh, come on. Nail nail a few of these, so come on. Um, July, 2026, payday Super comes in. Um, I'm saying that payday super becomes the biggest compliance nightmare of 2026 for government and small business, uh, people in business. Um, so essentially for those listening, um, every time you get paid, if you're an employee or a business owner, every time you get paid or you pay an employee, superannuation needs to be remitted at the same time as the wage gets paid.

Jason · 26:43Now, of course it makes sense. That's that's the employee's money. I have no problem with that. It is just that historically, year on year, for as long as I've been doing this, about $2 billion a year doesn't hit the super fund because it doesn't get paid. Uh, businesses go into liquidation, things don't work out, but what's gonna end up happening?

Jason · 27:02Most business owners underestimate the cash flow pressure that this is gonna cause. Now, while we're still six or so months out from this happening, I don't think there's been enough noise about it. I don't think the government promotes it enough. And furthermore, there is between 200 and 250,000 small business owners using the A TO Clearing house.

Jason · 27:19This is being shut down. So between now and the 1st of July 26th, not only do 200,000 business owners need to find a new software, a new payroll provider, change their entire systems. They've then also gotta make sure their cash flow is ready to rock and roll for weekly or fortnightly payments, if that's their pay cycles, rather than building up that cash buffer and remitting it at the end of the quarter.

Jason · 27:42Yeah. Wow. So I think, I think you're adding to that as well. What? What ends up happening is when you miss your superannuation payment on time, at the end of a quarter, usually you then have to prepare a, it's called an SGC statement Super guarantee charge. You have to list all your employees, how much super they should have been paid, whether you made the payment or not.

Jason · 27:58You get an admin charge, an interest charge. It's on an Excel spreadsheet. It gets uploaded to the A TO portal. It's manual and annoying, and then you've gotta wait for the a EO to process it. They're in the works at the moment of redeveloping this so that it's not gonna be that process. But if every week you've got.

Jason · 28:14Seven days to get the money into super from payroll. The, even the um, the clearing houses can sometimes takes 12 days depending on the timing of money. You've got Easter holidays, sometimes the banks slow things down. It's just gonna be a nightmare. It's gonna say something else. But yeah, so payday super absolute nightmare.

Jason · 28:32We'll be sitting here a year from now saying what an absolute joke the last couple months have been for trying to resolve how to get this to work properly and, and not have these issues blow up. So

Nick · 28:41have they not, uh, which I would assume they haven't. 'cause they don't do this. Um, they not have a process.

Nick · 28:49Like, so if you're saying payday super has to be paid the same day, then doesn't the government have a solution for how that can then happen?

Jason · 28:59Yeah, so essentially the, the government now means all the digital service providers, I think zero, myob, QuickBooks, whatever else they have to build the technology now that it's been legislated, that it is actually coming and gonna happen, right?

Jason · 29:12They're all building the tech in the background so that when you click Pay Now on Zero and pay post the payslips, they'll also be a pay Super now button. Yeah. What if you don't do it though? It's, it's very, very simple to miss an extra step if you're not in the habit and routine of it. If you're used to putting it in every quarter.

Jason · 29:28The weekly or fortnightly, and now is also the time. I mean, you know, the warning here is that if you are paying weekly, and that seems like it's gonna be a big impact, maybe it's time to look to fortnightly or monthly pay cycles for your business, if that's something you can swing between now and then.

Jason · 29:42Mm-hmm. Um, you know, having a monthly pay and then seven days for the super to, you know, leave the bank account and hit. Might be better depending on, you know, analyze your business, talk to your account or your advisor. But that is one of my predictions. Um, again, dunno if it's playing it safe, but I

Marty · 29:57feel like there'll be a lot of business overdrafts coming up in the

Jason · 29:59That's exactly what I was

Marty · 30:00thinking.

Marty · 30:00Yeah.

Jason · 30:01Yeah. Uh, number two, uh, AI in AI bookkeeping becomes standard operating procedure. Um, and essentially like from my point of view, what's happening there is people won't have a choice, like AI is gonna be unleashed in your accounting system. Actually, Nick, I don't know if you've logged into Xero, uh, lately, but have you seen that your Xero now has the ability to AI book keep it for you, like in the background?

Nick · 30:24Uh, no, I haven't noticed that, but I'm not really looking for it. Yeah.

Jason · 30:27Cool. If, yeah, next time you log in, if you go to your bank rec screen, there'll be a banner across the top says, turn on auto rec. And essentially it'll let AI start to reconcile things for you. If you've got a regular thing that goes to Telstra and it knows it's a telephone bill, it's gone.

Jason · 30:41So, you know, that makes

Nick · 30:41sense.

Jason · 30:42Yeah. Yeah. I mean, look, it's, it's one less thing for a bookkeeper to do in a sense. They can then, what their job now be to review the accuracy. Yeah. Did AI get it right? And then hopefully spend more time doing value added things. Yeah. Um, the thing is here, you know, what, what the noise is, is, you know, whether people like it or not, it's gonna be there.

Jason · 30:58Mm. You know, and I, and from now, I don't know if there's actually gonna be an opt out button, like it's just gonna be part of the software and part of the technology, so compliance will get faster. Hopefully that means advisory expands. People should have more time to do the advisory and the value added things.

Jason · 31:12Mm-hmm. Um, but there's also gonna be the ones that don't adapt, um, they get, they get slower and more expensive. Um, so there's gonna be a lot of market movement around that as well. So AI bookkeeping is just there. Yeah. Um, this one I'm, I'm claiming this year, um, this is number three, bombers will make the finals due to the top 10 expansion of the A FL, uh, final system.

Jason · 31:35Oh yeah. Right. Yeah. We will. If I'm going to like really go out on a limb here, we probably finish ninth or 10th and win. Like just to really like, you know, be the first, uh, is it a

Marty · 31:45legitimate final though if it's not there? Well that, that

Jason · 31:47then that then becomes the argument that bombers still couldn't make the top eight and win a final.

Jason · 31:51But I'm either way, bombers final. It doesn't matter, does it? Final fun. Predict for me, bombers will win a final for the first time in 20 something years,

Marty · 31:582004. Yeah, I remember I was there, God against, uh, Melbourne, one by four points. I

Jason · 32:04unfollowed the Twitter page or the X page that counts the days since Esna won a final.

Jason · 32:08I just couldn't do it to myself. So I've unfollowed that. Surely with

Marty · 32:11ai, I could win something. God

Jason · 32:14get the robots out there. Oh God. Um, the next one, I mean, I've, I've gone real heavy accountant here. I don't know. I've gone away from AI and tech to just, that's all right. Say staying in my lane, staying in my lane, I'm gonna.

Jason · 32:28Oh, I'm risking getting it wrong, but you guys both went with an interest rate rise. I'm gonna go No rise then. Just flat. Okay. So just, I mean, it just means I'm guaranteed to get one on you guys or not. So I take, that's my, that's my fourth. What was the movement then? Fifth then? So there's a five. Um, this one.

Jason · 32:45Wow. I just, I'm glad you went

Nick · 32:47that way.

Jason · 32:48Oh no. It's, I don't even, I didn't want to, but. I just couldn't do the same as you guys. Otherwise, it's just, you know, I almost can't wait to 12 months time. You're not invited back. The last one's, uh, an a EO prediction around, um, I'm calling it after the fact audits.

Jason · 33:04Um, there, there's no longer. The a TO taking 18 months to audit or review and then go back that far. Essentially. Now, with the AI driven warning systems inside the a TO, the expanded ability that they have behind the scenes is just like, again, like we know the pace of ai, but the amount of data we talked about, the 600 million data points that gets fed to the a TO, the increasing capability just means that I'm, I'm gonna kind of get this right, but essentially the old world.

Jason · 33:34Was where you'd lodge. And then 18 months later, maybe something gets flagged and they pick it up. The new world is you're, you essentially get a live risk score. Risk score, which triggers like the flags at the atos end to then go after you in real time. Um, so this expanded use of AI at the Atos Atos end is essentially going.

Jason · 33:54Go are the days of you had messy books and you had to lodge your bass, so you'd put it through and go, oh, we'll fix that up later. The way all the like GST, the bank feeds the page, you go withholding the single touch payroll, the superannuation, all of that data now. Is behind the scenes available to be kind of seen and matched.

Jason · 34:13So if you lodge a bass and it doesn't line up to the way everything should be based on the figures that are received, you're getting flags triggering straight away that something's not right in your books. So right now, messy books is gonna be one of the biggest things, and I know we've, I've talked about AI bookkeeping.

Jason · 34:27That is a concern too, that if you then just trust AI to do it and it gets things wrong, you're putting yourself into this. Ai, my, my a o prediction of higher audit activity and a bigger real time risk of getting things wrong in your books. Um, no more she'll be right. We'll clean it up later. I think the focus there needs to be.

Jason · 34:47Focus again, get the things right. Be diligent with your numbers, get your books right, do the reviews. If not, you're gonna be part of my a TO prediction that the, the audit activity and the auto reviews and the robo mail, basically from the atos end saying, are you sure you didn't get this wrong? I'm giving the opportunity to fix it.

Jason · 35:04It'll be automated mail that comes out and just goes, Hey, we think something's not lining up here, but we're gonna let you figure out what it was. And it's, it's insane. It's already happening. We're getting, you know, letters that are going, we think something's missing off this return. Wow. You know, so, um, you know, watch out.

Jason · 35:20Uh, there's the, the data in the machine, if it looks weird, um, they'll be coming for you. And I think, um, in, in what we've seen as well, just to elaborate on that, of why this starts to heat up the a TO. Uh, the comm, Chris Jordan, I think his name was, he was the HO Commissioner a few years ago. He came to Xerocon and presented saying, by 2030, the ambition of the a TO for Australia is that we're in a world where tax just happens.

Jason · 35:46So, you know, you raise a $11,000 bill for a month of can consulting. When that gets paid, the a thousand dollars GST is auto gone. Like you don't get it.

Marty · 35:57Yeah.

Jason · 35:57When you pay wages to someone and the pay you go withholding was two grand, it's gone. Tax just happens. So then even on accounting side, by 2030, I don't have to do your.

Jason · 36:07IAS or your bass, it's gone. So how do I get paid back when I'd have an expense? That's, that's one of those questions, you know, are they gonna credit you back the expense in real time as well? Yeah. When you go and spend $550 on something, well, 50 bucks have to, they're doing

Marty · 36:21it the other way. Correct. But then again,

Jason · 36:23and they're, they're all those things where, you know, you talk about robots and AI and those things, but this is the world that we're going towards where that becomes a reality because of the ability to access data in real time.

Jason · 36:32They then want their cash in real time. 'cause the GST isn't ours. The pay as you go withholding's not ours. The super's not ours. And payday super is the start of that. Yeah. So, um, they, you know, we'll see, we'll watch this space and see what happens, uh, a year from now. But I think, uh, some different, different angles from previous years.

Jason · 36:50Yeah. Rage against

Marty · 36:50the machine.

Jason · 36:51Yeah, a hundred percent. Uh, Marty, I guess, uh, this is essentially. Goodbye. This, this is it. This is it. Um, anything that you're excited for for next year? I mean, apart from the bold predictions, what's on the cards for 2026? Uh, uh, I

Marty · 37:06think for me it's just, um, redefining myself in many ways.

Marty · 37:10Like I've been in business for so long. And, um, you know, getting some mentorship myself just to reinvigorate some of the, uh, youthful excitement that I, uh, carried and work out what that looks like for the next 50 years. So, so it's been really good. I've, I've, I've tried to take the pressure off myself because my brain just naturally wants to get into something I know and get going.

Marty · 37:31'cause that's just, but then, you know, I would've stayed at Innovate if I wanna do that. Right. So it's, um, so for me to get some time over Christmas again, redefine what it looks like it might be supporting Charlie in a business, um, that would be amazing. I get to support so many other people. Um, and we've got an idea around that that I think would be good, that he's connected to, and it would be a lot of fun.

Marty · 37:54So that, um, that might be one thing. Um, I think coaching, again, probably going to the, and, uh, games and hoping we get into the top. Top 10, uh, would be good. But yeah, I haven't really defined it yet and that's very unusual for me. But, uh, I'm gonna give myself the Christmas break. I've got about six weeks off now, which is tremendous.

Marty · 38:14I've never had that, I don't think in 35 years. So I'm really looking forward to that starting tonight. And um, and then you just never know where I'll pop up Joce. You just never know. 'cause I dunno,

Jason · 38:27Nick.

Nick · 38:28Uh, what was the question? What's on the car? It's 2026. That's the

Jason · 38:32wrap up at Merry Christmas. Oh, I went into a huge waffle.

Jason · 38:34Yeah, no, that's okay.

Nick · 38:35Um, look for us, I think, um, well, I'll talk business first, but yeah, we're, we're in a really good place at the moment, um, where we, uh, you know, I guess poised to really benefit from, from ai. So I think we'll just double down on what we're doing really well. I think. Back to that 20%. Keep bringing up, we know what we're doing is working so we'll just try and, um, try and leverage that and almost consolidate a little bit.

Nick · 39:02And we've had a lot of things happen in 2025. Um, you know, we've just gone into Adelaide in more recent time, so I think next year we'll be consolidating and making sure that we've really, uh, get what we deserve out of the, um, the foundations that we've laid. Um. You know, something will come up for sure that we end up tackling.

Nick · 39:24Um, and then personally, yeah, I'm not sure. Just trying to, just trying to work life out, trying to be a dad and balance that in business and gotta make a decent decision around a house. So probably buy a family home next year. That's probably the biggest thing I've gotta do personally. Um, and then I think that'll be enough.

Nick · 39:42Just apart from that, just keep an eye on these predictions and. How things are going. What about yourself mate?

Jason · 39:48Uh, might be the same and look at risk of sounding like it's just flowing the same thing. Yeah. Doing, doing more with less. I think, you know, the robots, the AI automate or the automation. We're a team of 27, um, looking to kind of bring on a senior bookkeeper, maybe a practice manager, but kind of round out just those final parts of the puzzle and then double down on AI and robots expanding.

Jason · 40:08Our capacity, but keeping the same quality and the same human approach that we have, which is, you know, our, our edge or, or our, you know, secret sauce that makes us a little bit different from, from others out there and how we approach it and how we communicate. So, and essentially, I mean, 20% of our clients make up 80% of our revenue, that old Preto principle.

Jason · 40:25So just finding a way to focus on that and, and really double down on, on providing love and care and, and the service that they need. So it's kind of the, the business front and personal might copy you as well. Buy, buy a house for case and I to live in. Uh. That'll be, that'll be a good one to add. And why I, and then run the New York marathons.

Jason · 40:42That'll be five out of seven of the global majors. If I can get to the New York Marathon next year,

Nick · 40:47wow. My current house will be for sale.

Jason · 40:49Done.

Nick · 40:50Solved. Let's do it. There you go. Just save some Asian comms happy days.

Jason · 40:54Sorry. Prop app. Nah. Thank you guys. It's been great. Uh, 25 predictions done. 26 now in the tank and ready to go.

Jason · 41:02Looking forward to next year with you, Nick. Uh, Marty will miss you. We love you. We'll talk about you all the time and I'm sure you'll be back. Thank you for everything and until next time.

Marty · 41:11Keep listening to the numbers game. I've learned a lot and I'm sure you guys are too. And it's been a great honor and privilege to be with both, uh, you two good fellas.

Marty · 41:19And, uh, and again, Tommy jacket too, our producer who's been there from, uh, day one that makes us sound good and uh, keeps us all in line. So, uh, he's a gun. If you ever think you're doing a podcast and you've got lots of money, um, talk to uh, Tommy 'cause he only deals with the best. So, and, uh, he deserves it.

Marty · 41:36But thank you as an audience, it's been a pleasure being in your ears. Um, over the last five years and, uh, I'm sure we'll cross paths at some point again. So, until next time, stay happy. Keep building game over.

Jason · 41:50This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. The conversations are over general nature and do not qualify as financial or tax advice.

Jason · 41:59We recommend before you make any financial decisions, you consult a licensed professional. Individuals on the podcast may hold positions in the companies discussed. ---