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7 October 2025
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How the Swiss super model can help our own, demand for non-residential property, observing risk aversion in the real world, the government's coming changes to super and pension asset testing.
702 ABC Sydney listeners have selected their archive favourites of '10 guests from 10 years' of Conversations with Richard Fidler. This week, they played an interview with Paul Keating. Lots of fun.
The Government and industry are looking for ways to improve our superannuation system. The Swiss have been looking after other people's money longer than anyone.
Non-residential property has been a key beneficiary of the hunt for yield, and for good reason. The lure of high and relatively stable income is driving investors to bid up property prices.
The government has announced changes to the pension asset test and taper rate effective 1 January 2017. While good news for many less affluent recipients, it means wealthier pensioners will receive less, or none at all.
Financial risk aversion defines our attitudes to taking financial risk. Your style of risk aversion could be relative or absolute or a bit of both. It's good to recognise your own tendencies for the benefit of your portfolio.
Although nothing clear has been announced, adverse changes are coming to superannuation, especially for people with large balances. And they want retirees to spend more, not leave bequests.
Have you ever wondered what your financial situation would be if you'd had a more modest wedding all those years ago? A simple calculator tool is available to find out - but it might not be easy news to take.
This AI cycle feels less like a revolution and more like a rerun. Just like fibre in 2000, shale in 2014, and cannabis in 2019, the technology or product is real but the capital cycle will be brutal. Investors beware.
An explosion in low-skilled migration to Australia has depressed wages, killed productivity, and cut rental vacancy rates to near decades-lows. It’s time both sides of politics addressed the issue.
LICs are continuing to struggle with large discounts and frustrated investors are wondering whether it’s worth holding onto them. This explains why the next 6-12 months will be make or break for many LICs.
Australian housing’s 50-year boom was driven by falling rates and rising borrowing power — not rent or yield. With those drivers exhausted, future returns must reconcile with economic fundamentals. Are we ready?
Younger Australians think they’ll need $100k a year in retirement - nearly double what current retirees spend. Expectations are rising fast, but are they realistic or just another case of lifestyle inflation?
This week, I got the news that my mother has dementia. It came shortly after my father received the same diagnosis. This is a meditation on getting old and my regrets in not getting my parents’ affairs in order sooner.