Housing Finance Approvals Grow
After falling in February, the ABS figures for March are back in the black.
By Terry Christodoulou
Wed, May 5, 2021 11:29am
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A stutter in February saw the value of new loan commitments for housing fall for the month – following eight months of consecutive growth.
However, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Lending to Households and Business figures for March 2021, indicate a rise in housing finance approvals, according to the Real Estate Institute of Australia (REIA).
The ABS figures show seasonally adjusted value of new loan commitments for owner-occupier housing increased by 5.5% in March – up 55.5% for 12 months.
REIA President, Adrian Kelly said “despite the March fall of 14.5% it remains at historically high levels at 123.6% higher than twelve months ago.
“Rises in new loan commitments for owner-occupier housing were seen in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory with New South Wales having the largest increase of 8.2 per cent. The largest fall of 6.5 per cent was in Western Australia.
Further, loaning to investors has increased with Mr Kelly stating that the value of loan commitments for investor housing increased by 12.7% for the month, and 54.3% for the year on the back of improving rental market conditions.
“The value of new loan commitments to investors rose across all states except the Australian Capital Territory. The value of new loan commitments to investors rose by 19.0 per cent in Queensland 13.7 per cent in Victoria and 13.0 per cent in New South Wales.”
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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.
By Jeni O'Dowd
Tue, Jun 2, 2026 2 min
2 min
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.
