The Coalition has pledged to give young Australians access to up to $50,000 in their retirement savings to get a toehold in the housing market. Super funds say it will only further inflate property prices.
Listed property, which found investor favour in 2024, is better positioned to weather market volatility with institutions eyeing improving valuations and development opportunities. For overseas players, a weaker Australian dollar is a bonus.
ASFA gets a new (acting) chief
Leeanne Turner will take on the interim CEO role as the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia looks for a full-time chief executive and the (acting) incumbent, Gary Dransfield, is reappointed chair.
“The board commenced a recruitment process for a new CEO several months ago and that search is well advanced,” Dransfield said. “Having stepped into the interim CEO role temporarily, it has become clear that we need someone in the role in a dedicated capacity.”
Turner has more than 40 years of experience in the superannuation industry , holding the CEO role at AvSuper, MTAA Super and Spirit, which was created in the merger between MTAA and Tasplan. She has also been a director of ASFA, FEAL and ISA as well as a past member of the Superannuation Complaints Tribunal Advisory Council.
“For more than 60 years, as the peak body representing all APRA-regulated superannuation fund sectors and their service providers, ASFA has been uniquely placed to navigate the maturing industry through its ability to bring all parties together to collaborate on delivering the best retirement outcomes for all Australians,” Dransfield said.
“Leeanne’s unifying presence and ability to bring people together to collaborate on the numerous, complicated challenges facing our industry will bring tremendous energy and focus to the sector… As we are now less than two months away from our next conference, the board is pleased to welcome an industry veteran of such standing to lead the organisation through this busy period.”
Martin Fahy stepped down from the CEO role back in May following seven years at ASFA, with Dransfield saying that he’d played “a pivotal role” in addressing the policy and regulatory changes that occurred during his tenure.
“Under Martin’s direction ASFA has pursued a sophisticated, articulate and evidenced-based approach to advocacy and has driven capability uplift across the sector through its research, thought leadership, professional development, and related activities,” Dransfield said.
