This Month
Top ART executive quits after two-month absence
A top-ranking executive at Australian Retirement Trust, the nation’s second-biggest pension fund, has resigned after a months-long absence from its offices.
May
Industry super pushes for Chalmers to change retirement tax hike plan
The country’s two largest pension funds have privately lobbied the government to index the tax’s $3 million threshold to inflation to maintain confidence.
Millions of Australians are invested in Trump (but they don’t know it)
Millions of retirement savers now own a small portion of the US president’s business empire through one of the country’s biggest superannuation funds.
April
Big investors wield private assets to cushion returns from wild market
The nation’s largest money managers, including the big superannuation funds, are using unlisted holdings to manage the fallout of volatile global equities.
Australian Retirement Trust restructures investment team, cuts jobs
The country’s second-largest superannuation fund has acquired six funds over the past year and says it will streamline operations, cutting key investing roles.
Cyber minister Tony Burke ‘radio silent’ on super breach: Coalition
The accusation comes after cybersecurity firms identified the details of thousands of Australian retirees for sale online.
Super groups accused of resisting efforts to lift security before hack
A representative of the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia had told a consumer advocate that stronger protections would put “too high” a burden on funds.
March
Industry funds lobby for death benefits overhaul
ART, UniSuper and Cbus want the government to reform processes as the corporate watchdog prepares to release a report revealing widespread failures.
The country’s big super funds are reaching their ASX investing limit
AustralianSuper expects to hit an effective cap on how much it can invest in the local market and make good returns. Its peers are also looking overseas.
Who are the super directors facing APRA’s tenure limit?
There will scarcely be a board of a major industry super fund untouched if the prudential regulator comes after these lucrative patronages.
Why super fund investment calls are about more than next quarter’s returns
What’s at the heart of a super fund’s investment strategy? Capital allocation. And the better it allocates that capital, the better for all of us.
Beware the ‘misleading’ label on your super
A former chief investment officer has questioned the labelling of high-growth default options and criticised the concentration of assets in the US equity markets.
February
Chalmers and super chiefs talk tariffs with Bessent in Washington
Jim Chalmers sat alone in the front row and listened attentively as his US contemporary clarified an important point about Donald Trump’s favourite word.
Infratil, Future Fund scoop up stake in $16b-plus CDC Data Centres
Sources said the deal was signed shortly after 6pm, and would see Future Fund take a bigger piece of CDC than Infratil.
January
Top super investors dash pre-election rate cut hopes
But they say investors should be optimistic about inflation easing despite later cuts and risks associated with Donald Trump taking the White House.
December 2024
The $330b fund busting big super’s ‘buy and hold’ myth
Australian Retirement Trust’s real assets arm has been the biggest driver of infrastructure and utilities deals in Australia and New Zealand this year.
How big super is spending your money on sponsorship and marketing
Jumps in advertising spends at industry giants such as Aware Super and UniSuper came despite a crackdown by the watchdog questioning whether these costs are in members’ best interests.
November 2024
Airtree raises $650m for new start-up investment funds
The money for the high-profile venture capital firm’s two new vehicles came from institutional investors in the US and from three Australian super funds.
Australia’s most complained about super funds revealed
Embattled construction industry fund Cbus topped the list of major funds, new data shows, but complaints across the sector jumped last financial year.
October 2024
Big super’s executive gender pay gap revealed
Analysis by The Australian Financial Review also shows who the highest-paid superannuation bosses were last year.