Former Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation, Bill Shorten, has canvassed a future Labor Government altering the tax settings to encourage superannuation funds to invest in infrastructure.
Shorten, who is now vying with Anthony Albanese for leadership of the Parliamentary Australian Labor Party, told the ABC’s Q&A program on Monday night that he believed superannuation funds could play a positive role in infrastructure investment in Australia.
Further, he said a future Government could alter the settings or provide Government guarantees which would make it more attractive for super funds to undertake such investments.
His comments have come at the same time as the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) suggested that more self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs) could get involved in infrastructure investment if more liquid products became available.
Governor Michele Bullock took a more hawkish stance on Tuesday, raising concerns over Donald Trump’s escalating tariffs, which sent economists in different directions with their predictions.
Equity Trustees has announced the appointment of Jocelyn Furlan to the Superannuation Limited (ETSL) and HTFS Nominees Pty Ltd (HTFS) boards, which have oversight of one of the companies’ fastest growing trustee services.
Following growing criticism of the superannuation industry’s influence on capital markets and its increasing exposure to private assets, as well as regulators’ concerns about potential risks to financial stability, ASFA has released new research pushing back on these narratives.
A US-based infrastructure specialist has welcomed the $93 billion fund as a cornerstone investor.