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20 November 2025

Home / Author: Pauline Vamos

Pauline Vamos

Asset class and portfolio management skills are different

More of us are becoming portfolio managers, of at least our own portfolios. But in the professional arena, managing other people's money requires special skills, with qualifications and ongoing training.

Meeting investor needs with human capital reporting

The measurement and disclosure of human capital within a company will give investors greater confidence about future business prospects and better integrate strategic and human resource functions.

A super consensus needed before the demographic tsunami

It’s no surprise that the Intergenerational Report predicts an increase in the number of people retiring over the next decade as well as years spent in retirement. It’s a challenge for any government now and to come.

Sustainability of the super system in a time of disruption

It could be said that the super system is always facing disruption. As the system grows it will be constantly reviewed, scrutinised and changed, and industry participants should work together for the collective good.

Implementation is a hot issue

Implementation is filling minds and devouring resources across the wealth industry. We have so much to implement, in so little time and without a full picture of the regulatory framework that nervousness pervades our lives.

Debating the value of super

There is not enough done to balance the debate about the costs and benefits of superannuation, and reduce the hysterical and ill-informed headlines. Here are some of the more common misconceptions.

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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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