So far as Rollover can recall, one of the biggest factors to have influenced the consolidation of the superannuation industry over the past two decades has been both regulation.
Thus, your correspondent was more than a little amused to read the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority’s (APRA’s) submission responding to the Productivity Commission’s issues paper on superannuation efficiency and competitiveness.
In circumstances where plenty of superannuation funds have disappeared from Super Review’s old Top 100 superannuation fund list and only four have been added, Rollover was particularly taken by APRA’s declaration that “the superannuation sector continues to consolidate and it is likely that further consolidation may promote efficiency without unduly impacting competition in the sector as the superannuation sector remains far less concentrated than other APRA-regulated industries”.
The APRA submission acknowledged that “there have only been four new RSE licences granted in the past five years”, and Rollover rather likes the fact that APRA does not think this is because of any barriers preventing the entry of superannuation funds.
But at least the regulator did refer to the fact that in the absence of a distribution channels such as bank clients of union members, new entrants might find the going a little tough.
With rainy weather abound in Sydney, Rollover was sat in front of his TV watching the smorgasbord of niche documentaries free-to-air has to offer.
As a history buff, Rollover is well-aware of the importance of the role the vanguard plays in a military force, as the leader at the front of battle.
Now that crypto investing is mainstream, with Rest Super announcing it will put a portion of its funds into it, Rollover wonders whether his grandkids will think he is hip when he shows them his crypto balance in his new digital wallet.
Rollover is almost as fascinated by superannuation fund mergers as the deputy chair of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), Helen Rowell.