The superannuation industry has to bed down the raft of regulatory reforms, says Elana Rubin, former chair of AustralianSuper. “I appreciate that government undertakes regulatory reform with the very best intentions, but from a member perspective, it can often reduce confidence in the system. And while it may not affect them directly, they read about … Read more
Equipsuper will be rolling out a brand new insights program over the next year, based on new methodology to conduct member research. Geoff Brooks, executive officer of strategic marketing and communications at Equipsuper, said the fund is conducting roundtable discussions to determine what they need to measure as a business and design research that will … Read more
Super funds’ demand for data has increased exponentially amid the renewed focus on governance and transparency of the last five years. Not surprisingly, these requirements emerged as a strong theme in our recent study of the challenges facing the superannuation industry, Evolving Superannuation Funds for the Future. Several interlinked factors are forcing funds to revamp … Read more
A cap on both fund manager fees and investor returns is the key to overcoming state government caution on infrastructure deals, according to Garry Weaven of Industry Funds Management (IFM). Speaking to investors at an Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees event in Sydney, Weaven outlined a proposal in which a fund manager, such as IFM, … Read more
Group insurers need to understand the provision of the national disability insurance scheme and how it differs to their offerings, says Dr Ken Baker, chief executive officer of the National Disability Service. “I think it’s important that the group insurers understand in what sense this is an insurance scheme and what sense it isn’t. “This … Read more
The changing nature and openness of emerging market financial systems mean that constant assessment of the environment is necessary. MSCI is currently considering whether to increase the allocation of China’s weight in the emerging market index to include the nation’s A shares. (Concurrently MSCI Korea and MSCI Taiwan Indices remain under review for a potential … Read more
There are many accounts about the severity of pollution that rapid industrialisation has brought to China, and one of the most striking is the example of not being able to see from one end of Tiananmen Square to the next owing to smog. This highlights the dangers that unchecked carbon emissions poses, but the government’s … Read more
Cbus chief executive David Atkin has defended Cbus’ union relationships after a Liberal MP criticised potential conflicts of interest arising from union representation on boards. In a speech last week, Liberal member for Bradfield in the Australian Parliament Paul Fletcher said the union movement has a disproportionate degree of influence over Australia’s superannuation sector. “I … Read more
CareSuper’s television advertising campaign has had a greater impact in educating existing members than in recruiting people to join, says its chief executive Julie Lander. The most recent advert, featuring Olympic swimmer Giaan Rooney, has led to a significant rise in member awareness of its choice options, she says. Previous CareSuper adverts had focused on … Read more
There’s competitive advantage to be had in the insurance space for superannuation funds using behaviour-change thinking and models, says behavioural consultant Michael Daddo, managing director of The Shannon Group. “Some of the funds are waking up to the importance of insurance as a value creation and a way of getting members engaged with the product … Read more
What is the optimum size for an institutional investor? This is a question foremost in the mind of Jim Christensen, chief investment officer of TelstraSuper. After four years of expansion, he believes he has maximised potential by gaining the optimum level of inhouse investment. Now running 20 to 25 per cent of assets internally for … Read more
It’s a rare event to have a bill introduced into parliament by a tearful Prime Minister, but the DisabilityCare Australia 2013 bill – which will help pay for the national disability insurance scheme by raising the medicare levy from 1.5 to 2 per cent – had such an auspicious beginning. Watched by disability advocates in the … 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.
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