22% return in 12 months, lower fees and better insurance will get you noticed – Australia’s greenest fund has been recognised as its most exciting one too! From Australian Ethical (www.australianethical.com.au): Australian Ethical Super won the Rising Star award at SuperRatings Fund of the Year awards in Melbourne last night. The award recognises Australian Ethical’s significant product changes […]
Read MoreAre you one of The Vital Few?
The global groundswell continues – a new online group has been set up which encourages pension fund members to challenge their funds to disclose their investments. The agenda is simple – to protect members’ investments from the risks posed by climate change. From the website: Maybe you reduce, reuse and recycle. Maybe you’re into using renewables, […]
Read MoreGunns: A lesson in Corporate Social Responsibility
The news this week that Gunns has gone into receivership is an amazing lesson in how to fail at Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). If any investor were to doubt the material impacts of ignoring community concerns about the environment, this is a massive wake up call. Investments in companies such as this made by fund managers […]
Read MoreSearching for an Insurance quote?
So you’ve got a quote for Life insurance, TPD, Trauma, or Income Protection online, and you’re told that a particular insurance company has the right policy for you – cheap, good rating, etc. But what about the insurer’s claims history, their reputation in the industry, and other factors that can’t be judged by price alone? In addition, you need […]
Read MoreClimate change concerns for Australian Investors
The impacts of climate change on companies’ supply chains, natural resources, operations and key infrastructure are expected to worsen as a result of increasing temperatures, changing weather patterns, and more frequent and intense droughts, floods and storms. Virtually every sector faces climate risks and opportunities, and investors can’t afford for those risks to remain opaque. […]
Read MoreOrica, The Great Barrier Reef, and your Super
Orica (ASX: ORI) will defend court charges relating to 279 offences, including the release of contaminants from its sodium cyanide plant in Queensland, brought by the minister for environment and heritage protection Andrew Powell. The alleged offending conduct contravened the Environmental Protection Act and includes: releasing contaminants in excess of licence limits; failing to notify […]
Read MorePlanning your retirement? Do you really understand where your Super funds are invested?
You probably want to take a more conservative approach as you head towards retirement, especially given recent market performance. What if you were told that three quarters of your Super was invested in shares and property? Unless you’ve chosen otherwise, that’s probably where your ‘Core’, ‘Balanced’ (or similar) default option lies. If you’re a member […]
Read MoreWhy GESB Super Members are leaving after March 30, 2012
GESB Super members are queuing up to leave the fund after 30 March, 2012. Are you one of them? From 30 March, 2012, GESB’s 320,000 members will have choice of super fund – a right that other Australians have had since 2005. Howard Rosario, Chief Executive of the fund, has been quoted as saying he […]
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