AusBonsai

Podocarpus elatus - Leaf reduction
I've been developing this Plum Pine for about 10 years and am reasonable happy with the trunk and bark but can't get any leaf size reduction. Obviously it needs a haircut, but when I cut it back hard it still throws out large leaves. Any suggestions on how I might get better leaf reduction?

No photo which makes it hard to offer anything except generalisations.
I don't have any Podocarpus elatus but, in general, leaf reduction is tied to ramification. Any given tree needs a certain area of leaf to photosynthesise but that leaf area can be 1 very large, 20 medium or 100 smaller leaves. All my trees that have good branching and ramification have naturally developed smaller leaves. All other leaf reduction techniques I've tried either don't work at all or are only temporary.

Not sure where your Podocarpus is up to in the ramification department but that's where I would be starting.

I agree with shibui about both the need for a picture, and ramification being the key for smaller leaves.

Cutting back creates a response in the tree as it tries to replace what is cut off. The bigger the cut back, often the bigger the response which will often lead to large leaves. Regular light trimming will produce a smaller responses, and generally smaller leaves. Also the pot and soil will have a big affect. A small pot with a good porous mix and little to no organic matter, will tend to produce fine ramified roots and lead to fine ramified branches over time.