Opinion
Opinion
How the performance test could be tougher
The proposed performance benchmark understates performance when it comes to adjustments for withholding tax and benchmarking credit exposure with traditional fixed income indices, meaning that relative performance is overstated, David Bell writes.
David BellJanuary 21, 2021
Opinion
No time to rest after climate risk test
The settlement of a recent case brought by a member of Rest Super Fund against the trustee is an important reminder of the importance for long term fiduciary investors to pay attention to climate and other ESG related risks to investments.
Jonathan SteffanoniDecember 7, 2020
Opinion
Retirement Income Review: Simplifying the complex
The Retirement Income Review is clever for a number of reasons, not least because it managed to simplify complexity and create a structured case for improving retirement outcomes by not increasing the SG, all without without making any recommendations.
David BellNovember 23, 2020
Opinion
Super advice: Holding out for a hero
Members aren’t looking for holistic financial planning advice in the sense of a traditional six-step financial planning process - they are looking to solve practical and immediate problems, they are looking for decision support, and they’re looking to learn, but not necessarily be educated or taught.
Jason AndriessenOctober 26, 2020
Opinion
Good engagement creates better policy
The key to addressing complexity and subjectivity in my experience is through good engagement. For engagement to work there needs to be a level of trust. Trusting can be difficult when significant agency issues exist.
David BellOctober 21, 2020
Opinion
What should go into – and stay out of – a quality SG recommendation
While personal and professional agendas make it almost impossible to have a balanced debate about the SG, there are a few key criteria that any analysis - including that of the Retirement Income Review - should acknowledge according to the Conexus Institute's David Bell.
David BellSeptember 28, 2020
Opinion
Jeremy Cooper on reviews and the retirement system’s unfinished business
While the chair of the decade old Super System Review couldn't shed light on the current Retirement Income Review, he said If the superannuation system is being used for tax-advantaged inter-generational wealth transfers then those tax subsidies should be reviewed.
David BellSeptember 7, 2020
