The paper presents preliminary views on the opportunities and risks emerging from shifts in public and private capital markets. It explores the changing dynamics in capital markets including declining listings on public markets, the rapid growth in investment capital allocated to private markets and the influence of superannuation funds on markets. It seeks actionable ideas...

Wealth inequality over the past 20 years has progressively worsened in Australia. Australia’s wealth is now more unequally distributed than in the past. This paper examines the growth of Australian household wealth from 2002 to 2022 by asset. Tax concessions and the rapid growth in investment properties are found to have contributed to wealth inequality.

This interim report focuses on governance arrangements for superannuation funds with reference to improving consumer experiences, choice and outcomes in Australia’s retirement system. The report provides findings on the independence and competency of superannuation trustee boards and governance standards and provides seven recommendations.

Australia’s superannuation system is too complex. This report finds that retirees are stressed and lack the confidence to spend their super savings, turning the multi-trillion-dollar compulsory superannuation system into a massive inheritance scheme. It proposes seven recommendations and three key government reforms to simplify super in retirement.

Firefighters and paramedics are regularly compelled to retire early due to barriers to working beyond the age of 60, thereby facing substantial risk of having inadequate retirement incomes. This paper presents the findings from simulations of retirement income trajectories for these emergency workers in Tasmania and discusses a range of policy responses to make early...