Register For Our Mailing List

Register to receive our free weekly newsletter including editorials.

Home / 521

Podcast: Big flows into super funds force unlisted allocations

Season 2, Episode 5

In this week's episode, we welcome special guest, John Abernethy. John is the Founder and Chairman of Clime Investment Management. He's seemingly done it all across 40-plus years in investing, from managing multi-asset portfolios, to venture capital, and now overseeing a sizeable investment portfolio and financial advice business. John tells us that super funds aren't admitting to their biggest problem: having too much money is driving them into alternative assets. In a broad-ranging interview, he also outlines why bonds aren't great value right now and Aussie equities look good in comparison, as well as how the current government isn't doing enough to help reduce inflation.

Regular guest, Peter Warnes, has a different take to John's on super funds and unlisted assets. And he's scratching his head at a recent scathing review into APRA and its supervision of super. Finally, Graham Hand discusses why homeowning retirees should never run out of money, even though many fear they will.

The podcast is also available via our dedicated website page, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and BuzzSprout.

Please share with friends and colleagues, and a favourable rating would help spread the word. We welcome questions and suggestions at [email protected].

Grab a cuppa and settle in for our chat.

James Gruber
Editorial, Firstlinks and Morningstar

 

  •   9 August 2023
  • 4
  •      
  •   
4 Comments
Graham Hand
August 11, 2023

A correction on a statistic mentioned in my section. I should have said that based on life expectancies of people in a couple at age 65, there is a 50% chance one of them will still be alive at age 90.

Michael2
August 12, 2023

Hi Graham, in your comments about reverse mortgages on the home, I don’t remember you mentioning that people often view the home as a deposit to get into a nursing home.

What are your views on not having a reverse mortgage to fund nursing home entry,

Michael

Graham Hand
August 12, 2023

Hi Michael2, good question, thanks. As you know, the cost of aged care is a complex and specialist subject which is why we often run Rachel Lane's articles, and in the same edition as the podcast, this article: https://www.firstlinks.com.au/consider-paying-nursing-home-accommodation

So to answer your question, the point I was making is that a major concern of homeowning retirees is that they may run out of money, and I argue they will not actually 'run out of money' as Australia offers a safety net system. I'm not suggesting people should aim to live on social security, just saying they will not literally 'run out of money'.

So in the same way some people can fall back on the age pension, as the nursing home articles says: "While some have their nursing home accommodation costs fully covered by the government (based on a means test), most will have to pay their own way. The average lump sum room value is A$334,000."

All circumstances are different but for many people, the value of their home will far exceed the cost of nursing home entry.

Michael2
August 13, 2023

Thanks Graham, much appreciated

 

Leave a Comment:

banner

Most viewed in recent weeks

How cutting the CGT discount could help rebalance housing market

A more rational taxation system that supports home ownership but discourages asset speculation could provide greater financial support to first home buyers.

Is there a better way to reform the CGT discount?

The capital gains tax discount is under review, but debate should go beyond its size. Its original purpose, design flaws and distortions suggest Australia could adopt a better, more targeted approach.

Want your loved ones to inherit your super? You can’t afford to skip this one step

One in five Australians die before retirement and most have not set up their super properly so their loved ones can benefit from all their hard work and savings. 

Super is catching up, but ageing is a triple-threat

An ageing Australia is shifting the superannuation system’s focus from accumulation to the lifecycle of retirement. While these pressures have been anticipated for decades, they are now converging at scale and driving widespread industry change.

Meg on SMSFs: Last word on Div 296 for a while

The best way to deal with the incoming Division 296 tax on superannuation is likely doing nothing. Earnings will be taxed regardless of where the money sits, so here are some important considerations.

Has Australia wasted the last 30 years?

The 20 years after Peter Costello left Treasury have been deemed wasted...by Peter Costello. The missed opportunities for Australia began long before.  

Latest Updates

Taxation

3 ways to defuse intergenerational anger

With the upcoming budget increasingly likely to include bold proposals to alter the tax code I’ve outlined three incremental steps with fewer unintended consequences.

Economy

Why an extended US-Iran war will punish mortgage holders

The impact of the Iran War is far more than expensive petrol. Higher oil prices have secondary inflationary impacts that reverberate throughout the economy which could be bad news for Australians with mortgages.

Infrastructure

Don’t forget the yield

Global Listed Infrastructure dividends are forecast to grow 5-6% p.a over the next two years. After a hiatus, share buybacks are back on the agenda and will play an integral role in shareholder returns.

Iran war hands politicians free ticket to blame oil prices for inflation

Past oil shocks offer lessons for investors dealing with the fallout from the Iran War and the ongoing impact on inflation.

Economy

Japan 2026: A new PM heralds a new golden age?

Former Australian Prime Minister, Paul Keating, once said "When you change the government, you change the country." We're about to see whether that holds true in Japan.

Investment strategies

Why are central banks moving from US Treasuries to gold?

Central banks now hold more gold reserves than US Treasuries, signalling a shift in safe-haven asset strategy and portfolio diversification as geopolitical risks increase.

Strategy

Has global human wellbeing peaked? What the data reveals

Historically economic progress is measured by GDP growth but there is an increasing body of work that explores quantitative measures of wellbeing.

Sponsors

Alliances

© 2026 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved.

Disclaimer
The data, research and opinions provided here are for information purposes; are not an offer to buy or sell a security; and are not warranted to be correct, complete or accurate. Morningstar, its affiliates, and third-party content providers are not responsible for any investment decisions, damages or losses resulting from, or related to, the data and analyses or their use. To the extent any content is general advice, it has been prepared for clients of Morningstar Australasia Pty Ltd (ABN: 95 090 665 544, AFSL: 240892), without reference to your financial objectives, situation or needs. For more information refer to our Financial Services Guide. You should consider the advice in light of these matters and if applicable, the relevant Product Disclosure Statement before making any decision to invest. Past performance does not necessarily indicate a financial product’s future performance. To obtain advice tailored to your situation, contact a professional financial adviser. Articles are current as at date of publication.
This website contains information and opinions provided by third parties. Inclusion of this information does not necessarily represent Morningstar’s positions, strategies or opinions and should not be considered an endorsement by Morningstar.