This Month
- Exclusive
- Ethical investing
AustralianSuper ESG option invested in nuclear weapons: report
Australia’s 14 biggest superannuation funds are investing about $3.4 billion in nuclear weapons despite many promising to avoid controversial arms.
- Hannah Wootton
Mark Carnegie pushes Circle’s USD Coin to Australia’s super funds
MHC Digital says USDC, which has a market cap of $50 billion, could be used by big institutional investors to bypass banks and save hundreds of millions of dollars.
- James Eyers
September
UniSuper faces uprising from scientists over its support of gas
More than 1000 members of the $140 billion industry super fund have signed a letter to its board demanding it leverage its influence over APA Group or risk greenwashing.
- Hannah Wootton
Big super says cutting bank investments will hurt members
“Without funding from super funds, banks would be much more dependent on volatile foreign capital,” AustralianSuper chief strategy officer Paula Benson says.
- Hannah Wootton and Lucas Baird
Financial advice for $88: Super funds launch low-cost tools
Superannuation funds have ramped up their financial advice offerings, but the type of advice they can provide remains limited.
- Michelle Bowes
The best and worst retirement calculators revealed
Wildly different answers emerged when the same scenario was plugged into dozens of super funds’ retirement calculators. Now a consumer group is demanding higher standards.
- Hannah Wootton
Super funds’ meteoric rise poses new risks to financial stability: RBA
The $3.9 trillion sector’s rapid growth and its large exposure to the banking sector could amplify shocks in the future, the central bank has warned.
- Hannah Wootton and Jonathan Shapiro
Cannon-Brookes-backed Spaceship acquired in $80m deal
The superannuation fintech, backed by Airtree and Grok Ventures, has been bought by eToro in an all-scrip deal.
- Tess Bennett and Hannah Wootton
Roc Partners bankers up for Aware Super’s ProTen; assembles consortium
Roc is not wasting any item, assembling its consortium even before sell-side adviser Macquarie Capital has had chance to set a deadline for first-round offers.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
- Exclusive
- AustralianSuper
The country’s two mega funds now attract half of all new super
But the growth of AustralianSuper and Australian Retirement Trust beyond all their other peers could be a “double-edged sword” according to some analysts.
- Jonathan Shapiro and Hannah Wootton
Cbus’ CFMEU fallout ‘shows APRA’s weakness in super oversight’
Super funds get “preferential treatment” compared with banks and insurers, which may leave retirees out of pocket down the track.
- Hannah Wootton
- Exclusive
- Telecommunications
AusSuper’s mobile towers empire slumps deep into the red
The country’s largest superannuation investor was already at odds with its partner, Singtel-owned Optus, over a delay in rolling out network infrastructure.
- Jenny Wiggins
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
How to fix the dearth of retirement options
It is clear that Australians need better retirement-income products. Annuities make some sense, yet their uptake is low. But change looks to be on the horizon.
- Anthony Macdonald
Super boards can rely on ‘reasonable’ outside advice: court
The corporate watchdog has lost a case claiming Rest Super misled customers, with the judge finding the fund relied on reasonable legal advice from Allens.
- Hannah Wootton
- Opinion
- Super Q&A
How to maximise pension payments if one spouse is younger
Keeping a younger spouse’s super in accumulation phase can have the benefit of improving the age pension entitlement of the other person.
- John Wasiliev
Tapping super for housing ‘a win for wealthy, older investors’
The Coalition policy would increase the borrowing of younger couples by only $90,000, compared with $400,000 for older investors, new analysis has found.
- Hannah Wootton
Minister, watchdog put onus on Cbus to decide on controversial directors
Industrial Relations Minister Murray Watt and the prudential watchdog sidestepped any endorsement of union firebrand Paddy Crumlin to the board.
- Hannah Wootton
How much tax people will pay under Labor’s super changes
Self-managed superannuation fund members with big balances will face an average tax bill of $50,000 under the government’s plan.
- Michelle Bowes
Boss of worst super fund tapped to join Cbus board
The CFMEU administrator nominated Maritime Union boss Paddy Crumlin to the $92 billion construction industry fund’s board despite his stint chairing the failed Maritime Super.
- Hannah Wootton and Michael Read
- Opinion
- The AFR View
A reform to face the test of an ageing Australia
It is encouraging that the two main parties have tackled such a fundamental challenge to the nation in a bipartisan way.
- The AFR View