Latest News

Hostplus closes two investment options

ELIZA BAVIN
Hostplus plans to terminate two international shares investment options, effective 30 September 2025.

IFS recovers $226m in unpaid super

MATTHEW WAI
Industry Fund Services (IFS) has collected more than $226 million of unpaid superannuation in the previous financial year, bringing its total recoveries to over $2 billion to date.

Commonwealth Super awards sustainable credit mandate

JAMIE WILLIAMSON
Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation (CSC) is the seed investor in two new sustainable credit funds from UK-based manager Osmosis Investment Management.

Missing personal information can boost retirement income: Vanguard

KARREN VERGARA
Considering personal and financial circumstances for retirees could increase their retirement incomes between 3% and 51%, according to a new Vanguard study.

Latest White Papers

Ethics & Governance

Skills based superannuation boards

STEPHEN HOWELL   The boards of superannuation funds need to be 'gap-free' in the skills and competencies required of directors in the continually demanding area of supervision.

Imposing an independent director requirement

JACK ALLEN   Is an independent director requirement necessary to uplift trustee expenditure governance?

Investment

Emerging markets debt hard currency and the US dollar

THOMAS HAUGAARD   The US dollar influences the EMD hard currency asset class, but the relationship is complicated. What are the underlying drivers?

Fundamentals of infrastructure secondaries

STEPSTONE GROUP   As a less mature private market sector, infrastructure has not always been a major part of the secondaries conversation; however, this is changing.

Insurance

Enhancing TPD sustainability in Australia

BINDU GEORGE   The sustainability of total and permanent disability insurance has emerged as an important issue in Australia's financial landscape.

Unpacking the ins and outs of superannuation disability benefits

MANSI DESAI   This paper outlines the process to meet the PI condition of release and the tips, traps and pitfalls when helping your clients decide how they access their benefits.

Technology

The future for super

CLIVE FERNANDES   From legacy to leadership through adoption of smart technologies.

Building the foundations for responsible AI investing

MICHELLE DUNSTAN, ALISON PORTER, SARAH DE LAGARDE, ANTONY MARSDEN   Generative AI has the potential to transform a broad range of industries - underscoring the critical need for responsible deployment amid challenges and risks.

Retirement

Can alternative assets improve retirement readiness in DC plans

MARK AUSTIN, LEON STAVROU, TOM LAUER   In the move from a defined benefit retirement model to a defined contribution model, the question remains: Will employees have enough money to afford retirement?

Helping DC members get the best retirement outcome

DAVID KNOX   With the continuing growth of defined contribution (DC) pension plans around the world, it is critical that policies and principles are developed to ensure that retirees from these DC plans receive the best retirement outcome possible.

Administration & Management

Investing is about judgements, not knowledge

STEPHEN ARNOLD   There is a presumption in the investment community that greater information creates better investment outcomes. I have not seen any evidence that supports this.

Insights into superannuation fund mergers

ZEIN EL HASSAN   This paper explores the different legal structures available to superannuation fund trustees that enable potential merger partners to access the benefits of scale on the pathway to full integration via a successor fund transfer (SFT).

Communications & Marketing

The voice members need

DUNCAN MCPHERSON   How super funds can strengthen member trust through effective communication.

Themes shaping the future of superannuation in 2025

MARY PAYNE, LACHLAN ALLARDICE, DAN RENOUX   These eight themes will have significant influence on the superannuation fund industry over the year ahead, including the undeniable importance of a modern technology infrastructure.

Compliance

Navigating the indexation roundabout

RAINMAKER INFORMATION   Keeping ahead of an ever-changing superannuation environment.

Payday plus 7 days

ANGELA WOOD, AMANDA LYRAS, ELIZABETH SMITH, JOSH HACKFATH, ALESSIO SILVESTRO   Employers must be aware of the new Payday Super obligations and ensure their payroll administration systems are ready, or risk significant penalties.

SMSFs

Voluntary disclosure to the ATO

DANIEL BUTLER, WILLIAM FETTES, CASSANDRA HURLEY   There can be significant advantages to making a voluntary disclosure including the potential to rectify and minimise penalties and other adverse consequences.

Certified wholesale: The complexities of wholesale client status for SMSFs

DAVID COURT   The distinction between wholesale and retail clients is a fundamental part of the financial services regulatory system.

Taxation & Estate Planning

Non-deductibility of GIC and SIC from 1 July 2025

STUART DALL, LEO GOUZENFITER   Taxpayers should be aware that although GIC or SIC can be calculated to accrue over a period of time, in many instances it is considered to be incurred on a single day.

Market-linked pensions are now fully commutable

MICHAEL HALLINAN   Benefits, risks and key steps when terminating legacy pensions.

Cover Story

Age of activism

JAMES FERNYHOUGH   UniSuper chief investment officer John Pearce talks to FS Super associate editor James Fernyhough about Westfield, company engagement, and the role of members in investment strategy.

A career in retrospect

JAMES FERNYHOUGH   In September, HESTA chief executive Anne-Marie Corboy announced that she would be standing down after 16 years at the helm of one of Australia's largest super funds. James Fernyhough caught up with her to hear her thoughts on HESTA's evolution, the purpose of superannuation, and why the media ...