A confident public speaker and a voice on investment trends and macroeconomic conditions, Brian Parker joined Sunsuper in the newly created post of chief economist in June, after nearly 10 years at NAB Asset Management. He shares with Investment Magazine his perspective on what has been driving share prices to fall. It’s not just the last … Read more
AustralianSuper aims to substantially boost its level of digital advice engagement with members over the next 12 months, according to a senior member of its advice team. “Traditionally industry funds have had a very high level of disengagement…but we are starting to see, as people are in the system a bit longer, that’s starting to … Read more
The Government’s change to the threshold at which inactive funds can be transferred to the Australian Tax Office (ATO) will hit membership numbers and put upward pressure of fees, agrees the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) and SuperRatings. The current $2,000 threshold will increase in two phases—first to $4,000 from December 31, 2015, … Read more
More attention needs to be paid to different age groups in assessing the gender gap in superannuation savings, believes Equip. Last week the Melbourne based research house Roy Morgan released a study which showed, in the 12 months to June 2015, women with superannuation had an average balance of $101,900 compared to men with an … Read more
Michael Pennisi, QSuper’s long serving chief strategy officer has been appointed as the group’s new chief executive. Pennisi who was the main internal candidate for the role has been confirmed just six weeks after Vilgan announced her resignation. He has spent close to 19 years at QSuper and has been responsible for setting QSuper’s strategic … Read more
First State Super has invested 0.3 per cent of its $53 billion fund in a purchase and lease back of mature almond orchards in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. The single transaction of $150 million was made with the listed company Select Harvest and gives First State Super access to what is Australia’s … Read more
Tom Garcia, chief executive of the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees, sees headaches ahead from proposals to mandate more independent trustees. After some years of debating the board composition of superannuation funds – in particular, the true meaning of director independence – we now have draft proposals from both the government and the regulator to … Read more
Sustainable group insurance is a scale game that needs significant resources, Richard Weatherhead, head of group insurance at AustralianSuper, told delegates at the Group Insurance Summit. He revealed how in the fund’s bid to weather a storm of rising claims, lawyer intervention in such claims and higher premiums it had raised the numbers employed in … Read more
The group insurance industry had a wake-up call at the 4th annual Group Insurance Summit yesterday, hearing from claimants about the slow, drawn out, and impersonal claims process and the debilitating experience it can prove to be. At age 32 Jay Allen, a former TWU Super member, was diagnosed with melanoma. An initial claim in … Read more
Insurance claims at QSuper involving legal representation has fallen across all types of claim since 2013 due to higher member service levels. Legal representation in income protection claims fell from 4.1 per cent in FY2013 to 1.9 per cent in FY2015, while involvement in death claims fell from 3.3 per cent in FY 2013 to … Read more
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Investment Magazine provides in-depth, monthly analysis of trends and developments for all the businesses in which superannuation funds engage‚ including asset allocation, investment manager selection, custody and fund accounting, member administration, group insurance and compliance.
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of this land upon which Conexus Financial sits, the Cadigal of the Eora Nation. We recognise their continuing connection and unique cultural and spiritual relationships to the land, waters and community. We pay our deepest respects to them and their culture, and to Elders both past and present.
