Australia’s retirement system still lags Israel, Iceland: Mercer

Despite the advent of legislation like the retirement income covenant, Australia is still being held back from having an A-grade pension system and lags behind four other jurisdictions due to a lack of compulsory retirement income stream requirements, Mercer and CFA Institute’s Global Pension Index has found. Mercer’s David Knox says Australia remains too focused on accumulation.

How CIO Ian Patrick is steering the ‘Noah’s Ark’ of ART post-merger 

More than 18 months after the blockbuster merger of Sunsuper and QSuper to become the Australian Retirement Trust, the combined group’s CIO, Ian Patrick, said pursuing a “joined up” investment strategy across the various funds and options ART’s members consume is his top priority. But Future Fund CIO Alicia Gregory warned there can be downsides to a total portfolio approach in which decision-making is centralised.  

Inside AustralianSuper’s active ownership strategy

The nation’s largest super fund has emerged as a kingmaker ahead of ASX AGM season. But while its role in a string of M&A deals, including Brookfield’s bid for Origin Energy, has grabbed headlines, the active ownership focus was a deliberate strategy by the fund.

‘Not what we’d hoped for’: super funds lament Voice referendum result

Funds that publicly backed the Voice to Parliament have vowed to continue efforts to support reconciliation with Indigenous Australians and said they had no regrets supporting the Yes campaign despite being out of step with a majority of voters.