When England’s cricketers arrive for the Ashes next month, expect no love lost between two great rivals.

But, cricket aside, Australia and the UK share so much common interest, and while Australia might be all about ending partnerships on the pitch, it will surprise many Australians and Britons alike that Australia’s superannuation capital has ownership stakes in Britain’s airports, energy utilities, roads and housing projects – delivering investment returns for Australian workers in retirement.

Because while the Ashes rivalry runs deep, Australia and the UK’s investment dynamic is a far friendlier proposition. In fact, projections suggest that investment by superannuation funds in the UK is expected to more than double over the next decade to $203 billion.

It’s a fillip for Australian workers, who end up with stakes in iconic global businesses and infrastructure such as Heathrow Airport or King’s Cross Estate, widely recognised as one of the largest and successful urban regeneration projects in London – because the dividends from these stakes flow back to bolster their retirement savings.

The superannuation secret sauce that is universality, compulsion and preservation has helped Australia build the fourth-largest and fastest-growing retirement system in the world. The total pool of assets managed by Australian pension funds is collectively greater than the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds.

As Australia’s superannuation leaders meet with UK policymakers and investment officials in London and Birmingham this week for the Australian Superannuation Mission, it’s only natural governments across the globe are looking to Australia’s superannuation system as a model for their own, because ours has a clear track record in delivering risk-adjusted returns to members, improving the quality of their retirement, and reducing the tax burden on future generations by containing aged pension costs.

Governments are right to take note: Australia’s current public expenditure on the age pension stands at just 2.5 per cent of GDP – substantially below the OECD average of 9.3 per cent – and we are the only OECD country for which age pension spending is projected to fall.

Our system is already a $4.3 trillion pool of retirement savings capital – and every week, $4 billion is flowing into the system.

The Mission this week is an opportunity for Australian super funds to identify investment opportunities across the UK critical infrastructure and utilities sphere – and address barriers that remain.

Just as the superannuation sector told the Australian government at the recent Economic Reform Roundtable, the message to our UK friends is no different: governments can better attract capital by streamlining regulation, fast-tracking approvals and facilitating predictable revenue settings – all steps that will give stewards of pension capital the confidence their investments will deliver members the best returns.

As international dynamics grow ever more unpredictable, Australia and the UK are tightening their bond, navigating this uncertainty as trusted, like-minded partners. Australia’s super funds are drawing on decades of earned trust to diversify their portfolios and strengthen our global presence, all while delivering real benefits back home.

Australia’s deployment of pension capital to the UK is not just a boon for the retirement savings of everyday Aussies, but also a shot in the arm for the British economy – proving to be a win-win at a time when the world is grappling with political turbulence.

Over thirty years industry super funds have enabled Australians to invest in critical infrastructure, iconic property developments, and large successful companies. Australian workers invest like the most sophisticated and wealthy investors in the world – because through their super, that is precisely who they are.  While wickets may tumble at the Gabba or the MCG this summer, over in the UK, Australian super funds are quietly crafting an innings of resilience and economic growth – and it spells runs on the board at home for millions of Australians.

In the Ashes arena, it’s a fierce rivalry. In the financial arena, it’s a trusted partnership.