How Barry Plant is Handling AML with Confidence

Barry Plant has moved early, announcing a network-wide partnership with Australian compliance platform My Databoss. Rather than leaving franchisees to interpret legislation, compare providers and build systems from scratch, Barry Plant HQ has taken responsibility for sourcing and implementing a best-practice solution across the group.

For individual agencies, the looming compliance burden can feel complex and daunting. For Barry Plant, it has become a leadership moment. For a group that has always prided itself on innovative solutions to market challenges, a new partnership with My Databoss is just one more instance of leading the pack.

Barry Plant CEO Lisa Pennell said the decision to partner with My Databoss reflects a proactive commitment to governance and client trust ahead of the 2026 deadline.

“Many in the real estate sector remain underprepared for the changes taking effect on 1 July 2026. The impact of Tranche 2 anti-money laundering legislation cannot be overstated – every office, from a small suburban agency to a large franchise group, will be held to the same evidentiary standard by regulators,” said Pennell.

“At Barry Plant HQ, we’re taking the bull by the horns with AML. We’ve spent the past 18 months investing significant time and resources to identify the right solution so our franchisees are prepared, supported and able to manage AML requirements confidently, without disrupting their day-to-day business. This is not a moment to put your head in the sand – consistency, clear documentation and audit readiness will be critical.

“While others have moved quickly towards providers active in New Zealand’s Tranche 2 space, we deliberately paused and assessed the best options before selecting My Databoss. Their experience working with AUSTRAC in Australia’s Tranche 1 financial services sector means they already understand the local regulatory landscape inside out. Combined with CEO Greta Menzies’ technical expertise and Kelly Ryan’s background as a former REIV President, we’re confident we have the right blend of compliance capability and real estate insight.”

Crucially, the My Databoss platform integrates identity verification, risk assessment, ongoing monitoring and auditable record-keeping into a single compliance infrastructure. For a franchise network, that means processes can be standardised and centrally supported, rather than fragmented across offices.

My Databoss CEO, Greta Menzies, explained exactly what the partnership means.

"This partnership with an industry leader like Barry Plant highlights a critical shift in the professional services landscape,” said Menzies. “Tranche 2 isn’t just a box-ticking exercise; it's a structural change that requires robust, purpose-built infrastructure.

“Our mission is to help businesses not just meet their AUSTRAC obligations, but establish a defensible compliance framework they can manage with confidence, clarity, and control."

That concept of a defensible framework is critical. As industry experts have warned, regulators do not assess good intentions – they assess evidence. Firms will need to demonstrate what checks were completed, when they were completed and how risks were managed, sometimes months or years after a transaction has settled.

Menzies cautions that many firms are not yet prepared for that evidentiary standard.

“AUSTRAC judges compliance by evidence, not effort or intent. Even firms that understand and apply the law can fail if they cannot demonstrate, months or years later, what actions were taken. If they act now, organisations still have the time to strengthen their compliance frameworks and ensure they are audit-ready.”

Barry Plant’s top-down, centralised approach delivers clear advantages across the network, as CEO Lisa Pennell explains.

"This is the benefit of being with a large, proactive real estate network. We’re doing the heavy lifting on AML so that our franchisees don’t have to. Importantly, we’ve adopted a considered, hybrid model that supports offices without exposing the network to pooled liability.”

“Our partnership with My Databoss gives everyone in the Barry Plant network the confidence that we will be ready when the new laws take effect, allowing us to focus on our clients while knowing our regulatory obligations are appropriately managed in a secure way," Pennell said.

“We didn’t want to partner with just another technology platform that simply acts as a container for identity checks. It was critical that we chose a partner who genuinely operates as an extension of our team and shares our values.”

“To support that commitment, AML assistance will be built directly into our existing central Support Desk, with a dedicated AML expert working alongside our HQ team to ensure we deliver accurate, timely and practical guidance to our network.”

As the July 2026 deadline approaches, the divide between proactive and reactive operators is likely to become increasingly visible. In choosing to tackle AML at a franchise level, Barry Plant is signalling that compliance is not a burden to be deferred, but a responsibility to be owned. For its franchisees, that means reassurance that the groundwork is being handled at HQ. For clients, it reinforces a simple but powerful message – in an era of heightened scrutiny, security and accountability, you are in safe hands.