The Government has confirmed it is moving ahead with progressing the Retirement Income Covenant which was deferred last year to 1 July, 2022.
Speaking at the Conference of Major Superannuation Funds (CMSF), Minister for Superannuation, Financial Services, and the Digital Economy and Minister for Women’s Economic Security, Jane Hume, said the purpose of the retirement income system was to provide income in retirement and smooth consumption between working life and retirement.
Hume said the covenant would require trustees to have a strategy to generate higher retirement incomes for members.
“The covenant allows super funds the flexibility to tailor their retirement income strategy to their specific membership base, while also allowing them to deliver solutions they think will work best for the particular cohorts of members in their fund,” she said.
“Once we pass the Your Future, Your Super reforms, this is the next cab off the rank.”
The proposed reforms have been described as a key step towards delivering better products and retirement experiences for members, with many noting financial advice remains the “urgent missing piece” of the puzzle.
Jim Chalmers has defended changes to the Future Fund’s mandate, referring to himself as a “big supporter” of the sovereign wealth fund, amid fierce opposition from the Coalition, which has pledged to reverse any changes if it wins next year’s election.
In a new review of the country’s largest fund, a research house says it’s well placed to deliver attractive returns despite challenges.
Chant West analysis suggests super could be well placed to deliver a double-digit result by the end of the calendar year.