Ashton Jones

MLC and the University of Sydney have announced a new three-year partnership that will bring together industry expertise, research excellence and entrepreneurial talent to help accelerate innovation, support emerging founders and strengthen pathways from ideas to real-world impact.

The partnership will create opportunities for collaboration across entrepreneurship, commercialisation, retirement research and innovation, drawing on the strengths of both organisations to support the next generation of Australian innovators.

The first initiative to launch under the partnership is the Venture Mentoring Program, a new mentoring network designed to connect early-stage ventures emerging from the University with experienced mentors from industry, including senior leaders across MLC and its parent organisation, Insignia Financial, and the University’s alumni community.

Managed by the University of Sydney’s Sydney Knowledge Hub, the program will support researchers, founders and innovators as they navigate the journey from discovery and research through to commercialisation and growth.

The Venture Mentoring Program is based on the internationally recognised MIT Venture Mentoring Service model, which has been adopted by more than 130 organisations across 34 countries. MLC and University of Sydney an…

MLC Director of Customer Innovation, Ashton Jones, said the partnership reflects a shared commitment to helping great ideas become successful, sustainable ventures.

“Australia has no shortage of brilliant ideas, talented researchers and ambitious founders. The challenge is often bridging the gap between innovation and real-world impact,” said Mr Jones.

“At MLC, we’ve spent more than a century helping Australians build confidence in their future. This partnership brings together two organisations that are passionate about innovation and helping people realise their potential. By combining the University of Sydney’s world-class research and entrepreneurial ecosystem with MLC’s expertise in innovation, strategy and long-term value creation, we can help more founders build sustainable ventures that create lasting impact.

“The Venture Mentoring Program is an exciting first step, but it’s only the beginning. Over the next three years we look forward to working together on a range of initiatives that support retirement research, innovation, entrepreneurship and capability building.”

University of Sydney’s Director of the Sydney Knowledge Hub, Imche Veiga, said the partnership would help strengthen support for researchers and founders seeking to translate ideas into practical outcomes.

“The University of Sydney is committed to ensuring our research and innovation delivers meaningful benefits for society,” said Ms Veiga. MLC and University of Sydney an…

“Through this partnership with MLC, researcher entrepreneurs will have access to necessary industry perspectives, mentorship from people who have been in their shoes, and networks that can help pave the path from technical discovery to real impact.

“Building a new venture is one of the hardest things people can choose to pursue. The Venture Mentoring Program provides a powerful opportunity to connect these emerging innovators with experienced mentors who can challenge, guide, and support them as they grow in their leadership.”

One venture highlighted during the launch of the Venture Mentoring Program was Armāitide Pharmaceuticals, a University of Sydney spin-out developing targeted therapies for triple-negative breast cancer.

Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Associate Professor Pegah Varamini, said mentorship had played a critical role throughout her research and commercialisation journey.

“The most effective mentors were those who listened carefully, asked difficult questions, challenged assumptions and helped me see opportunities that I might not have recognised on my own.

“As a founder, having access to people who understand commercialisation, investment, regulation and the realities of building a company can make an enormous difference.”

The partnership builds on an existing relationship between MLC and the University of Sydney, including MLC’s support of the Genesis startup accelerator program and the MLC Financial Clarity Prize in 2025, which recognised excellence in financial modelling and strategic planning among emerging founders.

Further initiatives under the three-year partnership will be announced over time.

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Renee Howie

MLC has launched the second phase of its retirement-focused brand campaign, encouraging Australians to see how having a plan can help them build a glorious retirement.

The new campaign continues the brand story MLC brought back to market in October 2025, ‘A Lifetime in the Making’, which repositioned retirement as something built day-by-day, not in one distant moment.

Its latest creative uses the cinematic language of a classic Hollywood heist to challenge the idea that a comfortable retirement requires a dramatic windfall. Instead, it shows that a plan put into action over time, could make the difference.

Renee Howie, MLC’s Chief Customer Officer, said the campaign connects MLC’s distinctive creative platform with the practical steps Australians can take towards retirement.

“To many Australians, retirement still feels like something that happens later. Our message is that you can start shaping it from the moment you start working, through the decisions you make and the plan you put in place today.

“The new ad has the pace and drama of a short Hollywood heist movie. It plays with the idea that you need an elaborate plot or a lucky break to retire well, when the reality is far less dramatic. You just need a plan.

“That is how this campaign builds on A Lifetime in the Making. A glorious retirement is not created in one big moment. It is built step by step, over time.

“Advertising only works if the experience behind it delivers. Over the past year, we have continued to focus on making it easier for Australians to join MLC, engage with us and take action towards their own glorious retirement.

“The campaign was filmed at Jones Bay Wharf on Sydney Harbour and at other locations across the city.

“It went live on 6 September and is rolling out across television, online video, out-of-home, radio and other platforms, including activity during the NRL and AFL finals.

“The start of spring is a timely reminder to look ahead. The decisions Australians make today can have a powerful impact on the retirement they enjoy tomorrow.

“Your plan will change overtime but that doesn’t diminish its power, retirement is a lifetime in the making, and we want it to be glorious for every Australian which is why we want them to start planning for it now.”

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Dave Woodall

New research from one of Australia’s largest super funds, MLC, shows retirement confidence is already shaping how Australians experience work today, with implications for wellbeing, productivity and workforce dynamics.

Findings from the MLC Employer Real Retirement Report highlight that only 31% of Australians believe they will be able to retire when they want to, demonstrating a growing gap between expectations and preparedness.

The Report also found that financial confidence is influencing how employees show up at work. Nearly two-thirds of Australians (65%) say their financial situation affects their health and mental wellbeing, while 16% say it directly interferes with their job performance. The findings reinforce the important role employers can play in supporting employee wellbeing, and the impact of financial stress in the workplace.

Financial confidence is also uneven across the workforce, with women and low-income earners reporting lower levels of confidence in meeting their financial needs in retirement, highlighting the risk of uneven outcomes across workforces if left unaddressed.

The Report also reveals shifting expectations around financial wellbeing, with 84% of Australians believing that employers should provide access to free or subsidised financial advice.

Dave Woodall, CEO of MLC Super, said the Report’s findings showed retirement confidence is built across a person’s working life, not just at the end of it, and the increasing expectations employees have for their employer to provide greater access to financial support.

“Over recent years, it’s become clear that retirement confidence doesn’t sit neatly at the end of a career, it’s built over a working life. And when confidence is missing, the effects start to surface in how people feel, engage and make decisions about work,” said Mr Woodall.

“For employees, that framing matters. It shapes how supported they feel at work today, and whether they believe their employer is thinking beyond the immediate. It also speaks to the broader employee value proposition (EVP), where financial confidence plays a quieter but meaningful role alongside more visible signs of support.

“We hope the MLC Employer Real Retirement Report helps Australian employers build on the important work many are already doing to support employee wellbeing.”

Read the report.

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Renee Howie

A new generation of financial ‘super planners’ arrives as cost-of-living pressures widen national retirement confidence gap

• Having enough to retire comfortably is Australians’ equal top life goal alongside financial independence (54%) and ranks equal third for Gen Z alongside homeownership (45%).
• Gen Z Australians have edged out Gen Y as the most financially confident generation (45% vs 42%) and are most likely to believe they can meet future retirement needs (37%).
• Despite relatively higher financial confidence, less than half of Gen Zs believe they are on track to retire comfortably (44%) only slightly higher than the national figure of 41%.
• Across all Australians, only 31% believe they will be able to retire when they want to, with cost-of-living the biggest barrier to peoples’ financial aspirations (64%).
• A group of around 1 in 3 Gen Z ‘super planners’ are running post-retirement calculations in their 20s, as they seek to take more long-term control.

According to MLC’s new Real Retirement Report, Gen Z have overtaken Gen Y as the most financially confident generation, as economic and income pressures prompt many younger Australians to take more control of their financial futures. Now, 45% of Gen Zs are extremely or very confident in their financial knowledge, up from 30% in 2024, while 42% of Gen Ys are confident compared to 35% two years earlier.

The research of more than 2,500 Australians, conducted by McCrindle on behalf of MLC, found that Gen Z are more likely than any other generation to believe they can meet their financial needs in retirement (37%) and expect to retire earliest, at 63.

Retirement is also seen as an important life goal for Gen Zs who now rank having enough to retire comfortably (45%) equal third with home ownership, behind work life balance (52%) and financial independence (46%). This aligns with the national focus on having enough in retirement, now Australians’ equal top goal (54%) alongside financial independence.

However, even among the nation’s most confident generation, only a minority of Gen Zs (44%) say they are on track to achieve a comfortable retirement. This reflects national aggregate figures, where even fewer believe they are on track (41%) and just 31% expect to be able to retire when they want to.

At a national level, these figures fall further among women, with only 25% expecting to be able to retire when they want, compared to 37% for men. Similarly, 50% of men believe they

are on track to retire comfortably compared to 32% of women. The research shows that across the population, cost-of-living pressures are by far the most commonly cited barrier to achieving financial goals (64%), followed by current income (37%) and debt (20%). Gen Z also report the highest levels of frustration about their financial situation (37%), just ahead of Gen Y (36%), and followed by Gen X (32%) and Baby Boomers (19%).

Renee Howie, MLC’s Chief Customer Officer, said the MLC Real Retirement Report highlighted the challenge many Australians face in balancing today’s financial commitments with tomorrow’s goals.

“Having enough money to retire comfortably is now one of Australians’ most important life goals, yet most people don’t feel on track to achieve it. With cost-of-living pressures, interest rate rises and even uncertainty around what recent Federal Budget changes may mean for them, it’s understandable many Australians feel less in control of when and how they retire.

“What’s encouraging is that younger Australians appear to be responding with action, and engaging earlier with their finances. They’re talking openly and honestly about money, setting goals, superannuation and thinking about retirement well before previous generations did.”

A new generation of ‘super planners’ emerges

As Gen Z responds to ongoing financial pressures, the research reveals a group of younger Australians stepping up their retirement planning far earlier than others.

This group of ‘super planners’ includes the roughly one in three Gen Zs who have begun retirement planning understand how long their savings must last (32%), know what their major expenses will be (38%) and even how much super they will draw down each year once in retirement (30%).

“Many younger Australians are running post-retirement calculations far earlier in life so they have a clear goal they can work towards. This is a digitally savvy generation who knows how to find information, but it’s more than just budgeting and planning, they’re taking meaningful actions with this information too.”

Gen Zs are the most likely of any generation to switch super funds (9%), salary sacrifice (10%) and seek advice (14%).

Ms Howie said that no matter where you are in your journey to retirement, taking small steps can make a big difference to outcomes and help close the confidence gap. This includes:

1. A 5-minute super check – a quick check to see if you have multiple super accounts you don’t know about, how much you’re paying in fees and costs, and if you’re in the right investment option can save you tens of thousands of dollars over a lifetime. For example, simply switching from a default investment option to a high growth one between 18-49 years of age could add up to $120,000 to your super at retirement*.
2. Understand available incentives – programs like the government co-contribution scheme or low-income support tax offset can help lower-to-middle income earners boost their super.
3. Take advantage of compound interest – even if you don’t have much to spare, contributing $5 or $10 a week or month in your 20s and 30s could have a big impact on your super balance at retirement. For example, salary sacrificing an extra $5 per week to your super from 20 years of age could add more than $26,000 to your super at retirement**.

“At MLC, we believe that a national dialogue around retirement readiness and confidence is sorely needed so people aren’t going it alone. But for individuals, if you’re unsure how you’re tracking, are worried about retirement or need support, speak to a financial adviser. If you don’t have one, call your super fund as most will be able to put you in touch with someone that can help,” Ms Howie added.

*Scenario is based on an 18 year-old with a starting superannuation balance of $1,000 and a salary of $60,000 p.a. with a 3% p.a. salary increase. Assuming default option return of 6% p.a. and high growth return of 6.5% p.a. from age 18 to 49. From age 50 to retirement age of 67 investment returns reduce over time from 6% p.a. to 5.5% p.a. and from 6.5% p.a. to 5.88% p.a., respectively.

**Scenario is modelled on an extra $5 per week and a 2.5% p.a. salary sacrifice increase from age 20, to age 67. Assuming an investment return of 6% from age 20 – 55 and then reducing over time to 5.5% p.a. at retirement age of 67.

Methodology

The Real Retirement Report 2026 explores the attitudes to retirement and financial confidence, based on a survey of 2,500 Australians aged 18 years and over. The survey was conducted by McCrindle on behalf of MLC, with questions in-field in December 2025.

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Dan Farmer

One of Australia’s largest super funds, MLC, has delivered strong returns for its members in the 2025/26 financial year despite extreme volatility in markets.

MLC Chief Investment Officer Dan Farmer said that, given the events of recent months, it was pleasing to deliver a 10.2% p.a. return for MLC’s High Growth option and 9.9% p.a. for its MySuper Growth portfolio.

“It’s almost three months to the day since markets bottomed out during the Iran conflict,” Mr Farmer said.

“In late March the ASX was down around 8%, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq were down more than 5%, and some emerging markets were down more than 10%, while the price of fuel had doubled and inflation was expected to skyrocket.

“At that point, the idea of double-digit returns for MLC’s High Growth option would have seemed highly optimistic. While many Australians are still doing it tough, this is a silver lining for their retirement savings.”

Mr Farmer said the results were an important reminder that superannuation is a long-term investment.

“Superannuation is the longest-term, and largest, investment most Australians will have,” he said.

“This last financial year, more than just about any other year I can think of, shows the importance of staying the course.

“It means our three-year average return is 11.3% p.a. for MLC’s High Growth option and 9.9% p.a. for MLC’s MySuper Growth portfolio, demonstrating consistent outcomes for our members.

“This financial year’s returns have been driven largely by equities, alongside strong performance in alternatives and private credit.

“We’re anticipating further volatility over the coming year but see our portfolio as well positioned to navigate it.”

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MLC has released analysis of Tuesday’s Budget and its impact for advisers.

Following last night’s Federal Budget, MLC has prepared an analysis outlining key measures and their implications for advisers and clients.

Key measures proposed

• Tax and cost-of-living: A $1,000 instant tax deduction for work-related expenses and a $250 annual Working Australians Tax Offset will be introduced. The lowest marginal tax rate will reduce to 15% from 1 July 2026 and 14% from 1 July 2027, with Medicare levy thresholds also increasing.
• Investment and property: From 1 July 2027, the 50% CGT discount will be replaced with CPI indexation, alongside a minimum 30% tax rate on capital gains. Negative gearing will be restricted for newly acquired established residential property, with losses carried forward.
• Trusts and small business: A 30% minimum tax will apply to discretionary trusts from 1 July 2028, with transitional relief available. The instant asset write-off will be permanently set at $20,000 for eligible small businesses.
• Superannuation: The Low-Income Superannuation Tax Offset will be expanded from 1 July 2027.
• Health and care: Higher private health insurance rebates for older Australians will be removed from April 2027. Reforms to NDIS, aged care and Support at Home will expand services and adjust eligibility over time.

What this means for advisers

• The proposed changes may result in a review of asset ownership structures across super, trusts, companies and individuals.
• Changes to CGT and negative gearing may affect the way investment outcomes are assessed and modelled.
• Updates to discretionary trust taxation may prompt a review of existing structures and consideration of alternative strategies.
• Simplified tax measures may streamline tax return preparation, while substantiation may still be required where higher deductions are claimed.
• Changes to health insurance settings and EV concessions may prompt review of existing arrangements at relevant points in time.

What this means for clients

• Tax changes introduce a standard deduction for work-related expenses, with the option to claim higher amounts where applicable.
• The Working Australians Tax Offset and tax rate adjustments may affect after-tax income from employment.
• Changes to CGT and negative gearing alter how capital gains and investment property losses are treated over time.
• Adjustments to Medicare levy thresholds may affect the amount of levy payable for some households.
• Changes to private health insurance rebates may affect premium costs for some older Australians.
• Updates to aged care, disability support and government payments may affect eligibility, access and out-of-pocket costs across these services over time.

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Renee Howie

We welcome last Friday’s consultation on the annual superannuation performance test and the Government’s openness to redesigning it to better represent Australians who invest their superannuation in non-MySuper investment options, including recognition that the current test was designed for ~$50k MySuper balances.

MLC has always been supportive of the intent of the performance test to help protect Australians from being invested in underperforming super products.

We have, however, been vocal with the industry, Treasury and Government about flaws with how the test is applied to non-MySuper investment options. We have two key concerns with the test, in its current form:

1. Of the current $20 billion platform trustee directed market (known as wrap platforms and referenced on page 25 of the consultation paper), only two providers make up ~80% of what is currently tested. Applying the test to such a small portion of the wrap platform market produces outcomes that misrepresent performance and may harm consumers.
2. It doesn’t effectively take into consideration that individual investment options within wrap platforms are generally held as part of a personalised and diversified investment portfolio that is agreed by a member with their financial adviser. In a wrap platform, a member may have their super balance invested across multiple investment options, whereas a MySuper member would typically have their entire super balance invested in one option.

As we’ve previously said, a one-size-fits-all performance test does not necessarily produce the best result for members who make an active choice in how their retirement savings are invested. We look forward to continuing to work with the Government to help address these flaws.

In response to the Government considering extending the test to retirement products, we would caution that a test designed for the accumulation phase does not take into account the nuances of an individual member’s retirement, and the fact that retirement is more than just a product.

By Renee Howie, Chief Customer Officer

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Liz McCarthy

One of Australia’s largest and fastest growing super and retirement platforms, MLC Expand, has launched an innovative, industry-leading end of financial year toolkit to help support financial advisers during their busiest period of the year.

The toolkit includes a range of resources to help advisers ensure they’re maximising EOFY advice opportunities with their clients, as well as a comprehensive range of client materials such as flyers, newsletter articles, how to guides, concept cards and social media tiles.

MLC Expand CEO, Liz McCarthy, said, “We know that the lead up to end of financial year is one of the busiest times for financial advisers and their back office teams.

“At MLC Expand, we’re committed to partnering with financial advisers and doing whatever we can to help save them time, to allow them to get back to doing what they do best – serving their clients.

“MLC Expand’s Technical Services Team – which has recently been ranked number one in the NMG Australian Wealth Adviser Study 2025 – has developed an industry-leading toolkit to help advisers communicate with their clients during this busy period, and ensure they’re looking for opportunities to maximise their client’s position before the end of financial year.”

MLC Expand’s Head of Technical Services, Jenneke Mills, said, “Every end of financial year is different, and this one is no exception. What we’re hearing from advisers is that clients want clarity on what opportunities exist before and after 1 July, and confidence that they’re prepared for what’s coming next. That’s driving the need for practical tools and guidance to help advisers navigate change and support clients in an uncertain economic environment.”

Financial advisers who already use MLC Expand can access the toolkit – including white labelled versions of all content and resources for them to utilise with their own branding by visiting the Technical Library within the secure MLC Adviser Online portal.

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Dave Woodall

MLC’s superannuation members accessed a record $10.3 million in pension bonus payments in 2025 to help kick-start their retirements.

MLC offers members an industry-leading 1.25% tax-free Pension Bonus on their super balance automatically at retirement. For a superannuation balance of $500,000, a bonus payment of $6,250 can be accessed.

MLC Super CEO Dave Woodall said: “With more than three million Australians set to retire in the next decade, we expect more people will start to look at the MLC Super Pension Bonus as a great way to get their next phase of life off to a flying start.

“Not all superannuation funds currently offer a Pension Bonus, but at MLC, we’re definitely seeing the demand for our Pension Bonus increase as a record number of Australians enter retirement age. After years of accumulation, the Pension Bonus is in effect, a tax saving we pass onto our MLC Super members when they retire.

“We know that retirement is a lifetime in the making. Our members have worked throughout their lives to build up their retirement nest egg, so it’s important for us to pass on these tax savings to them – it is their money after all.

“We also believe that all of our members, no matter their balance, should have access to this benefit, which is why we have no minimum account balance and no caps on our payouts.” MLC’s MasterKey Pension Fundamentals product has received Canstar’s Outstanding Value Award in 2025 for providing outstanding value to members by performing to an exceedingly high standard and Chant West’s Five Apples for 2026.

Summary of MLC Pension Bonus payments in 2025:

• MLC has the highest Pension Bonus rate in the industry at 1.25%
• Pension Bonus payments last year averaged $6,199 per member
• Some MLC members received Pension Bonus payments of $25,000

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Dave Woodall

The way superannuation contributions are paid in Australia is set to change, benefiting millions of Australians through retirement. Yet the majority of the country doesn’t know it’s coming. New research from MLC, conducted by McCrindle^[1] , shows 80% of Australians are unaware of Payday Super, and 85% don’t know when the reform will take effect, despite the shift being just 100 days away.

From 1 July 2026, Australian employers are required to pay an employee’s Superannuation Guarantee (SG) contributions at the same time as their salary and wages, rather than quarterly, under the new Payday Super legislation. This means an employee’s SG contribution will be invested in their account sooner.

MLC also found that 55% of employers aren’t feeling confident that their business is ready to meet the Payday Super requirements on 1 July^[2].

This reform was designed to tackle the estimated $5 billion annual issue of unpaid super^[3], improve retirement outcomes, and increase the transparency and accountability of employers.

For example, a 25‑year‑old median income earner currently receiving their super quarterly and wages fortnightly could be around $6,000 better off at retirement under the new legislation^[3].

According to Dave Woodall, CEO, MLC Super: “Payday Super will help boost the super balances in retirement for millions of working Australians. Paying super at the same time as wages means that more working Australians will see their retirement savings grow simply through being invested sooner.

“With so many Australians still unaware the change is coming, MLC is encouraging people to use this as an opportunity to reconnect with their super.

“Now is a great time to check that your superannuation fund details are correct and up to date. It may seem simple, but checking your personal details are up to date with your superannuation fund helps your fund and employer ensure your contributions, which are your retirement savings, land in the right account sooner.

“Payday Super is good news for Australian workers and could add thousands of extra dollars to their super balance in retirement.

“Although retirement might seem like a long way away for some, it’s important to remember that your superannuation is your money and that a glorious retirement is something that’s actually built by the choices people make today.”

———-

Notes:
[1] Research commissioned by MLC and conducted by McCrindle. The findings are from an online survey of 1,006 Australians aged 18-79, representative of the Australian population by age, gender, and state/territory. Fieldwork was conducted in December 2025.
[2] Survey conducted of 756 Australian employer by MLC. Employers were asked ‘How confident are you that your business will be ready to meet the Payday Super requirements by 1 July 2026’, with 340 respondents answering they were ‘very confident’ or ‘fully confident’ and 416 respondents saying they were ‘somewhat’, ‘slightly’ or ‘Not at all confident’.
[3] https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/stephen-jones-2022/media-releases/consulting-payday-super-draft-legislation

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