APRA Says House Prices Not Its Job

The Australian Prudential Regulatory Association (APRA) has told the government its responsibility is financial stability and lending practices, not house prices which are on an unprecedented rise across our nation’s capitals.

The soaring housing prices, which has seen an increase in 2.1% growth in February alone, the fastest pace in almost 17 years, has seen calls for regulators to cool the market.

“It’s not our job to solve house prices and it’s not our job to solve house pricing affordability. The extent to which there is dynamic emerging of increased risk-taking by the community … at this stage it’s not evident,” APRA chairman Wayne Byres told a federal parliamentary committee on Monday.

When questioned at the live-streamed House Standing Committee on Economics hearing, whether the regulator was concerned about young people and first home buyers being priced out of the market Mr Byres reminded the government that the regulator’s focus was on lending practices and not housing.

“I think the bank has been very clear, and we have been very clear, in saying our job is not to set or seek to target house prices,” Mr Byres said.

Mr Byres acknowledged credit restrictions could have a knock-on effect on housing prices, however, reiterated APRA’s position.

“The last statement from the Council of Financial Regulators said quite clearly we are watching for a deterioration in lending standards and that’s not evident at this point,” Mr Byres said. “That is not to say it won’t emerge, but it’s not obvious at this point. We are watching with our fellow regulators.”

A new investment fund targeting celebrity-founded consumer brands has secured US$40 million in commitments and is rapidly approaching its US$50 million fundraising target, signalling growing investor appetite for alternative opportunities beyond traditional asset classes.

The Global Talent Fund, which has a maximum raise of US$100 million, focuses on building and investing in consumer businesses alongside celebrities, athletes, and influential personalities who play an active role as co-founders rather than simply endorsing products.

The strategy is based on the belief that changes in consumer behaviour, particularly the rise of social media and digital engagement, have fundamentally altered how brands are built and scaled.

GTF founding partner Jeremy Hunt, who is helping lead the fund’s strategy, said consumers increasingly feel connected to personalities they follow online and are more willing to support products developed by those individuals.

“Consumers are searching for content to engage with, and when a celebrity they like or follow takes them on the journey of creating a product or brand, they genuinely feel part of that process,” he said.

The fund is targeting high-growth consumer sectors including wellness, hydration, beauty and recovery, areas Hunt believes continue to benefit from strong global demand and ongoing innovation.

Rather than backing celebrity endorsement deals, the fund is seeking businesses where talent is deeply involved in product development, brand creation and long-term growth.

According to Hunt, authenticity remains one of the biggest differentiators between successful celebrity-backed brands and those that fail.

“The consumer can see clearly if someone is simply being paid to promote a product,” he said. “The winners are typically the brands where the celebrity has genuinely helped build the business from the ground up.”

The model has attracted support from several prominent Australian investors and business families, reflecting broader interest in alternative investments with global growth potential.

Hunt said consumer brands offered a level of tangibility that many investors found appealing.

“Consumer brands are what we touch, feel, smell and taste every day,” he said. “Our investors understand the growth potential in the model, but they also want to be part of the journey.”

The fund’s rapid progress towards its fundraising target comes amid growing recognition that celebrity influence, when combined with strong commercial execution and scalable business models, can create significant enterprise value.

With several high-profile celebrity-founded businesses generating billion-dollar exits in recent years, supporters of the strategy believe the opportunity remains in its early stages.

APRA Says House Prices Not Its Job

The prudential regulator has reminded the government of its focus.

With US$40 million already committed, the Global Talent Fund is attracting investor attention with a strategy focused on building globally scalable consumer brands alongside high-profile talent.