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Annika Bradley

Is your industry super fund too illiquid for its safety?

The long-term retirement system allows super funds to buy illiquid assets, but they must be prudently managed. Measuring liquidity is complex but how do our five major funds compare and are their levels safe?

The super wars revisited: Vanguard vs AustralianSuper

Vanguard has thrown down the gauntlet to the superannuation industry by launching its Super SaveSmart accumulation offering. How does its current offering stack up against local juggernauts such as AustralianSuper?

The super wars: Vanguard versus AustralianSuper

Vanguard Super will launch later in the year with details yet to be confirmed, but it's likely to look like the Vanguard Personal Investor product. Will it really compete with the big, established super funds?

Can you trust industry super fund valuations?

There is a cloud of suspicion over which was the best performing fund of the year in FY22 due to doubts about values of unlisted assets. US funds must reveal valuations but there is a lack of transparency in Australia.

The role of retirement villages in retiree housing

The majority of Australians prefer to ‘age in place’, and legislation on retirement villages is complex. They are increasingly popular but understanding the options is not for the faint-hearted.

ASIC creates a level playing field on fees

An explanation of ASIC's new fee disclosure guidelines that come into effect from February 2017. The changes promise to make comparing funds and fees much easier for investors.

Latest Updates

Retirement

Why it’s time to ditch the retirement journey

Retirement isn’t a clean financial arc. Income shocks, health costs and family pressures hit at random, exposing the limits of age-based planning and the myth of a predictable “retirement journey".

Financial planning

How much does it really cost to raise a child?

With fertility rates at a record low, many say young people aren’t having kids because they’re too expensive. Turns out, it’s not that simple and there are likely other factors at play.

Exchange traded products

Passive ETF investors may be in for a rude shock

Passive ETFs have become wildly popular just as markets, especially the US, reach extreme valuations. For long-term investors, these ETFs make sense, though if you're investing in them to chase performance, look out below.

Shares

Bank reporting season scorecard November 2025

The Big Four banks shrugged off doomsayers with their recent results, posting low loan losses, solid margins, and rising dividends. It underscores their resilience, but lofty valuations mean it’s time to be selective. 

Investment strategies

The real winners from the AI rush

AI is booming, but like the 19th-century gold rush, the real profits may go to those supplying the tools and energy, not the companies at the centre of the rush.

Economy

Why economic forecasts are rarely right (but we still need them)

Economic experts, including the RBA, get plenty of forecasts wrong, but that doesn't make such forecasts worthless. The key isn't to predict perfectly – it's to understand the range of possibilities and plan accordingly.

Strategy

13 reflections on wealth and philanthropy

Wealth keeps growing, yet few ask “how much is enough?” or what their kids truly need. After 23 years in philanthropy, I’ve seen how unexamined wealth can limit impact, and why Australia needs a stronger giving culture.

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