Super has one job: to grow Australians’ retirement savings to deliver millions of Aussies a dignified retirement

From

Misha Schubert

Super has one job: to grow Australians’ retirement savings to deliver them the strongest possible retirement income by investing only in members’ best financial interests.

Australians’ retirement savings are only invested where they can generate the strongest possible risk-adjusted returns.

Today we’ve seen more comments from a politician urging the use of super to solve other policy problems.

Trade Minister Don Farrell’s comments that Australians’ superannuation savings should be invested in American meat-processing facilities to seek to avert lamb tariffs are ill-informed and ill-advised.

Australians are crystal clear that their super should only be invested where it can deliver them the strongest possible long-term risk-adjusted returns.

It is not the job of Australians’ super savings to solve other policy problems. Nor should it ever be.

In the past month, we’ve also seen politicians proposing policies to raid super early which would just unleash higher inflation, hike interest rates, and leave Australians poorer in retirement.

Australian super funds meticulously assess the best investment deals to grow the retirement savings of millions of everyday Australians so working Australians can retire in dignity with income from super.

These investment decisions are always made independently of governments – for very good reason.

All policymakers have a sacred duty to keep Australians’ super strong and maintain trust in the super system.

The retirement incomes of millions of everyday working Australians right across the country depend on politicians not stuffing it up.

Super Members Council CEO Misha Schubert: “Comments like these are ill-informed and ill-advised. Super funds invest completely independently of Governments for very good reason – they invest only in the best financial interests of their members.”

“The role of super is to deliver the strongest possible investment returns for members.  It is not the job of super funds to solve other policy problems – nor should it ever be.”