Average retirement age in Australia increases by 4 years
Australia’s retirement age has increased four years between 2000 and 2020, which was the 12th biggest increase in all OECD countries, according to study from Age Calculator.
Super funds deliver fifth straight month of gains: Chant West
The median growth super fund has returned 8.8 per cent in the 2024 financial year so far with one more quarter ahead, according to research house Chant West.
Aware Real Estate begins two Melbourne housing developments
Aware Real Estate has launched large-scale housing development at Queens Road, in Melbourne’s inner south, and Preston in the city’s north, with the aim to add more than 700 homes to the city’s housing market.
JANA appoints director of client development
Asset consultant JANA has appointed Habib Chebli as director of client development, based in Melbourne.
Why UniSuper wants its peers to keep hunting for offshore property deals
The $130 billion UniSuper is looking to cement itself as the “biggest and most reliable” player in the domestic real estate market following a flurry of industrial property acquisitions in the past 12 months. Not only is senior property manager Nick Stephens unfazed by UniSuper’s relative lack of global investment in unlisted assets, he is in fact glad that his peers are increasingly overlooking the Australian market.
ESG funds call for a greener YFYS test
The ESG-driven sections of the super industry are pushing for green investments to no longer be penalised under the Your Future Your Super test, as one fund calls out the “mismatch” between the federal government’s renewable energy agenda and the performance pressures funds are dealing with.
ASFA appoints AustralianSuper executive to board
The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia has appointed AustralianSuper’s Paula Benson, chief officer of strategy and corporate affairs as a board director.
Super funds and experts at odds over heavily gamed YFYS performance test
Vanguard Super has publicly backed the retention of the annual performance test, as a growing number of funds also warm to the status quo after tweaking their strategic asset allocation to make sure they don’t fail. But while it may keep funds’ compliance officers happy, the current test is not in members’ best interests, argue a number of academics and researchers who advocate for a multi-metric approach.
To solve the longevity puzzle, turn to the professionals
Retirement is complicated, it frequently doesn’t happen the way we plan or wish, and more people every day are facing the transition from employment to retirement. It’ll be hard for super funds to get financial advice to every member who needs it, but they can work closer with professional advisers.
UniSuper commits $623m in renewables fund
UniSuper has poured US$400 million ($623 million) into an energy transition and climate opportunities fund, aiming to support the global net zero transition.
UniSuper names MetLife as new insurer
The $130 billion UniSuper has selected MetLife as its new insurer, ending a decade-long relationship with TAL.
‘Don’t jump at shadows’: CIOs on unnecessary portfolio de-risking
The CIOs of CSC, VFMC and Spirit Super have urged peers to control – but not be controlled by – risk when approaching portfolio construction, and not be too cautious to put risk back on when the opportunity presents itself.
