This Month
Employment shock; Libs leader loses trial; Forrest’s vital moment
Read everything that’s happened in the news so far today.
AustralianSuper’s graphite bet Syrah defaults on US government debt
More than $370 million of loans have helped keep the miner afloat, but civil unrest in Mozambique has halted production there and triggered default clauses.
- Peter Ker
Synagogue attacked; AusSuper’s $1 trillion woe; Murdoch Christmas bash
Read everything that’s happened in the news so far today.
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
AusSuper has a $1 trillion problem. It’s working backwards to solve it
While the Australian super system deals with its first real crisis, AustralianSuper’s Paul Schroder is looking to the future.
- James Thomson
- Exclusive
- Superannuation
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.
- Hannah Wootton
November
David Collard paid for Rolls-Royce as staff woes mounted
It’s the latest tightening rope around the flashy businessman, who had plans for his multinational business to build electric “gigabatteries” in Geelong.
- Myriam Robin
- Exclusive
- Superannuation
AustralianSuper pays members back $4.2m over claims handling delays
The industry super giant is voluntarily compensating the loved ones of deceased members after an overhaul of its claims handling processes imposed tough new timelines.
- Hannah Wootton
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.
- Paul Smith
- Exclusive
- Financial planners
PM’s financial advice reforms at risk of collapse
The government’s efforts to get a deal on giving more Australians access to good financial advice without paying thousands of dollars have stalled after an impasse on funding.
- Updated
- Jennifer Hewett
- Exclusive
- Private equity
Greencross names new CEO as TPG eyes exit path
The new chief executive of the vet clinics and Petbarn and City Farmers pet stores arrives amid intense competition from Woolworths and other big retailers.
- Carrie LaFrenz
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.
- Hannah Wootton
October
Super funds fork out $423m in marketing blitz
Superannuation funds spent millions of members’ retirement savings on marketing, including sponsorships of AFL and NRL clubs.
- Hannah Wootton
‘It burns’: AusSuper CIO tormented by $1.1b private equity fail
Mark Delaney spoke candidly about having to write off that sum in equity and loans tied to an American online education start-up.
- Jonathan Shapiro
MinRes’ Chris Ellison goes MIA in France
The managing director’s out of the country, while his company’s investigation into him continues to evolve.
- Mark Di Stefano
MinRes expands probe into alleged tax dodge to address ‘inconsistencies’
The West Australian mining company will on November 4 report on its inquiry into allegations that its billionaire founder Chris Ellison ran a tax evasion racket.
- Elouise Fowler and Hannah Wootton
- Exclusive
- Governance
Big super pushes boards on culture after WiseTech, MinRes dramas
Industry superannuation funds are ramping up their focus on the culture of the companies they invest in as scandals wipe billions off corporate valuations.
- Updated
- Fiona Buffini and Hannah Wootton
AustralianSuper sells down MinRes stake as board reels from scandal
The sale, disclosed after the market closed on Friday, takes the $340 billion industry fund below the substantial shareholder level.
- Hannah Wootton
Big banks fund Macquarie Technology bid to cash in on AirTrunk effect
The funding agreement came as new research showed investment in data centres was expected to hit $26 billion by 2030 amid booming demand from technology giants.
- Paul Smith
Big super’s obsession with data centres comes with an energy warning
AustralianSuper poured $2.2 billion into a US data centre company this week, but ESG experts warn the energy-hungry assets could compromise net zero targets.
- Hannah Wootton
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
AustralianSuper’s new $2.2b bet pours fuel on data centres blaze
Shut the gate, the super giant has completed a rare trifecta in Australian deals. And it is in powered property shells, of all things.
- Anthony Macdonald