Super Informed Radio
Super Informed Radio is the podcast that unpacks the world of super, finance, and life’s money matters.
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Investment markets: December 2023Episode #51After a few months of share market weakness, we saw a big reversal in November—both US and Australian markets were up. So, what’s behind this change? UniSuper’s lead economist, investment manager David Colosimo, gives us the latest market news and shares the key things we’re watching out for as we close out the year. Thank you for tuning into our podcasts over the year. This is our last investment market podcast for 2023—we’ll be back in February 2024. We wish you a safe and happy holiday season!
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Investment markets: November 2023Episode #50Bond and share markets were down in October. What’s behind the slide? Join our experts for the latest news on financial markets and the economy.
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Investment markets: October 2023Episode #49Share markets in Australia and the US were down in September while the 10-year yield on government bonds in both countries was up by nearly half a percentage point. Is the US still set for a soft landing? UniSuper’s lead economist, investment manager David Colosimo, gives us the latest market news and shares the key things we’re watching out for in October.
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Investment markets: September 2023Episode #48Share markets in Australia and the US were down in August, while recent economic data shows the US economy is slowing but not crashing. What’s behind this? UniSuper’s lead economist, investment manager David Colosimo, gives us the latest market news and shares the key things we’re watching out for in September.
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Investment markets: August 2023Episode #47The 2023-24 financial year started on a strong note, with Australian and US share markets up—but can that positive sentiment be sustained? UniSuper’s lead economist, investment manager David Colosimo, gives us the latest market news and shares the key things we’re watching out for in August.
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Investment markets: July 2023Episode #46The 2022-23 financial year has ended, and it finished on a strong note for Australian and US share markets. But with inflation lingering, can this continue into the 2023-24 financial year? UniSuper’s lead economist, investment manager David Colosimo, gives us the latest market news and shares the key things we’re watching out for in July.
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Investment markets: June 2023Episode #45While the US market was flat during May, we saw some contrasting performance across sectors. What was behind this and how did it play out in Australia? UniSuper’s lead economist, investment manager David Colosimo, gives us the latest market news and shares the key things we’re watching out for in June as we wrap up the 2023 financial year.
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Investment markets: May 2023Episode #44Australian and US share markets were up in April but it wasn’t all smooth sailing, with further volatility in both the US and Australia. So what were the main themes for the month? UniSuper’s lead economist, investment manager David Colosimo, gives us the latest market news and shares the key things we’re watching out for in May.
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Investment markets: April 2023Episode #43The banking crisis has put a strain on markets, creating further volatility. So what does this mean for us in Australia, and will we see more rate rises? UniSuper’s lead economist and Investment Manager, David Colosimo, gives us the latest market news.
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Investment markets: March 2023Episode #42After a strong start to the year, financial markets were down in February. So, what was behind the slump? UniSuper’s lead economist and Investment Manager, David Colosimo, gives us the latest market news.
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Investment markets: February 2023Episode #41A new year brings new hope, and it’s been a positive start to 2023 with share markets rebounding. But are we out of the woods? UniSuper’s lead economist and Investment Manager, David Colosimo, gives us the latest market news.
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Investment markets: December 2022Episode #40Chinese markets were up in November, and that’s good news for Australia. So how does Australia benefit? UniSuper’s lead economist and investment manager David Colosimo, gives us the latest market news.
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Investment markets: November 2022Episode #39Australian and US share markets were both up in October. It’s a welcome development, but can the trend continue? UniSuper’s lead economist, investment manager David Colosimo, gives us the latest market news.
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October 2022 Federal Budget recapEpisode #38Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ first Federal Budget produced broadly no changes to super rules. Instead, the budget focused on social and education spending, with $7.5 billion dedicated to cost-of-living relief through cheaper childcare, expanded paid parental leave and cheaper medicines. UniSuper’s Policy & Advocacy Manager, Benedict Davies, joins us to break down the key announcements.
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Investment markets: October 2022Episode #37Inflation and uncertainty are still on investors’ minds as the financial year’s first quarter wraps up. What’s the forecast from here—and are we through the worst of it? UniSuper’s lead economist, investment manager David Colosimo, gives us the latest market news.
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Investment markets: September 2022Episode #36Over the past month, we’ve seen further volatility in financial markets. What’s driving this, what does September have in store, and is a recession inevitable? UniSuper’s lead economist, investment manager David Colosimo, gives us the latest market news.
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Investment markets: August 2022Episode #35Over the past month, we’ve seen inflation continue to beat expectations, as well as further interest rate hikes. So why were share markets up? UniSuper’s lead economist, investment manager David Colosimo, gives us the latest market news and shares the key things we’re watching out for in August.
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Investment markets: July 2022Episode #34June was a tough month in financial markets, ending a difficult financial year. But were there any bright spots amid the turbulence? UniSuper’s lead economist, investment manager David Colosimo, looks back at how we closed the financial year, and what’s on the cards for July.
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Investment markets: June 2022Episode #33With high inflation, rising interest rates, and a new government, what will our investment team be looking out for over the coming month? UniSuper’s lead economist, investment manager David Colosimo, looks back at what happened in markets during May, and what’s on the cards for June.
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Investment markets: May 2022Episode #32With high inflation, rising interest rates, and an election just a few weeks away, what will our investment team be looking out for over the coming month? UniSuper’s lead economist, investment manager David Colosimo, looks back at what happened in markets during April, and what’s on the cards for May.
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2022 Federal Budget recapEpisode #31Josh Frydenberg’s fourth Budget as Treasurer focussed heavily on cost of living support for Australians—but was there anything in it for your super? UniSuper’s Policy & Advocacy Manager, Benedict Davies, joins us to recap the Budget and break down the key announcements.
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Decarbonisation series: BHPWe’re committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, so we’re putting some of our biggest investments under the microscope to find out what decarbonisation means for them. As one of the world's largest mining companies, BHP produces much of the iron ore, copper and nickel we’ll need as we decarbonise. What targets has BHP set itself to achieve net zero 2050? What progress is it making, and how is it going to get there? We speak with Fiona Wild, BHP’s Vice President of Sustainability and Climate Change, to get the lowdown.
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How are we going on net zero 2050?Episode #30In the last 12 months, we’ve halved our exposure to fossil fuels, achieved carbon neutral status for our operations, and 40 of our top 50 Australian investments have set operational emissions targets aligned with the Paris Agreement. But what other progress have we made on our commitment to becoming a net-zero emissions fund by 2050? This episode, we delve into some of the key highlights from our latest climate risk report.
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Can you help your super while helping the environment?Episode #29There are risks and rewards to be had as we move to decarbonise our economy. For example, in the 12 months to the end of January 2021, our Global Environmental Opportunities (GEO) investment option outperformed our 15 other investment options. But what kinds of companies is GEO investing in to drive this kind of performance? And the obvious question—can it last?
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2020 Federal Budget recapEpisode #28Some commentators are calling the 2020 Federal Budget the most important Budget in living memory. But how might the proposed measures affect your super? UniSuper’s Policy & Advocacy Manager, Benedict Davies, joins us to recap the Budget and break down the Government’s signature super announcements.
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Accessing your super early—is it worth it?Episode #27For many people, the Government’s temporary early access to super scheme will be a financial lifeline. But what could some of the impacts be, both short- and long-term, to your retirement savings? This episode, Charles Azzopardi from UniSuper Advice takes us through the scheme’s basics—eligibility, how to apply, and some of the things to seriously consider before dipping into your retirement nest-egg.
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Who gets your super when you die?Episode #26What would happen to your super if you died tomorrow? And who can you give it to? A sibling? A parent? A pet? This episode, no question is off limits for Charles Azzopardi from UniSuper Advice as we haul this often-avoided topic out of the too-hard basket.
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Super and modern slaveryEpisode #25Could the money you’re putting aside for retirement be exposed to modern slavery? And what are we doing to reduce the risk that companies we invest in are involved in it? We speak with Lou Capparelli and Sybil Dixon from our in-house investments team to find out.
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We’re Super Fund of the Year! (Which means what, exactly?)Episode #24We were recently crowned Super Fund of the Year by ratings agency Chant West. But who exactly is Chant West, and what does it actually mean to take out the top award? We went straight to the source to find out how funds are reviewed and compared, the criteria involved, how UniSuper stacks up against other funds and what resources you can use to compare for yourself.
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2019 Federal Election recapEpisode #23The result of the 2019 Federal Election surprised many, defying opinion polls and media commentary and returning the Morrison Government to power. We jumped behind the mic with UniSuper’s Public Policy Manager, Benedict Davies, to sift through the coals of the election and ask ‘what now, for super?’
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2019 Federal Budget recapEpisode #22The 2019 Federal Budget focused more on tax cuts and other spending announcements ahead of an election, possibly paving the way for an imminent election announcement. This month, UniSuper’s Public Policy Manager, Benedict Davies, takes us through the tax cuts and some changes to super that were announced in advance, and helps us understand the context of a budget delivered right before an election.
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‘Til 5pm us do part – why friendships at work matterEpisode #21This International Women’s Day, we’re joined by Julie Watkins, UniSuper’s Executive Manager of People. We chat about ‘work spouses’ and how they can make our work lives more meaningful, Julie shares some of her top career tips, and we ask the question—what’s UniSuper’s position on gender quotas?
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Buy now, pay later—a good deal or a money trap?Episode #20Australians are using digital buy now, pay later services more than ever. But with no way of checking consumers can actually afford their purchases, is “lay-by 2.0” a good thing? Join us as we unpack these schemes’ perks and pitfalls with UniSuper Private Client Adviser, Charles Azzopardi.
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When your 'rainy day' actually hitsEpisode #19Don’t think you need insurance? We tell the story of a member who wasn’t aware she had it—and then life dealt her an unexpected blow.
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What's your biggest money fear?Episode #18Are you afraid of dealing with money? If so, you’re not alone. This month, we unpack some common money fears and learn some tips and tricks to vanquish them with UniSuper Private Client Adviser Robert Cahill.
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Governance is the (not so) new blackEpisode #17This month, we look at the ‘G’ in ESG—otherwise known as governance—and how we factor it in when making investment decisions. We speak with two of our investments specialists—Talieh Williams and Sybil Dixon—as we deep-dive into the rigorous screening process they do when deciding what to invest in. From board and executive remuneration through to company performance, companies we look to in invest in are scrutinised to ensure they’re advancing good governance practices.
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Would you trust your colleagues with your super?Episode #16Where would you go for information around how to invest your super? Well, according to some research we came across, it’s the people you work with that heavily influence your superannuation investment decisions. To unpack this in more detail, we chat with Dr Carly Moulang from Monash University and Prof. Paul Gerrans from the University of Western Australia.
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The 2018 Federal Budget in a nutshellEpisode #15In what’s widely tipped to be the last budget until the next election, Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison has announced a number of proposed changes to super. With measures to protect low account balances and lost super (including making insurance within super ‘opt-in’ for some people), lower and flatter taxes over time, and a raft of policies focusing on an ageing population, we break down some of the announcements with our resident policy guru, Benedict Davies. Read our full analysis of the budget at www.unisuper.com.au/budget.
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Finance gets the ‘Uber effect’Episode #14What do Carrott, Acorns, SocietyOne and Ripple all have in common? They’re not just random words thrown together—they’re services changing the way we spend, save and grow our money. But what exactly are they? How do they work, and are there any risks in using them? To find out, we spoke with two of our experts about this new wave of finance disruptors. They tell us what it could mean for you—and the finance industry more generally—plus what you should know before diving in.
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Our 2018 International Women’s Day editionEpisode #13International Women’s Day (IWD) is our chance to celebrate women's achievements and successes. This month, Marta spoke to two of our executives, Anna Leibel and Lee Scales, on what this year’s topic of #pressforprogress means to them, the advancement of women in STEM, their own career experiences, and thoughts on what it’s like to be a woman in the modern workplace. Both women have achieved remarkable success in their careers and may not have necessarily taken the traditional path in getting there. Enjoy their stories.
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Would you rather talk about your weight or your money?Episode #12How many people know the nitty gritty of your finances? Our guess is not that many, right? Not surprising, since talking about money can be considered impolite, garish or simply ‘not the done thing’. According to US research by the app Acorns, 68% of people would rather talk about their weight than their money. Why is that? And what can we do about it? We spoke with Claire Tacon, a financial counsellor with the National Debt Helpline, on the changes to societal attitudes about money and what makes people talk—or keep quiet—about it.
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“So, can I use my super to buy my first home now?”Bonus EpisodeWell, kind of. Legislation for the government’s first home and downsizer superannuation proposals were passed into law this week. As soon as we heard the news, we jumped into the studio to ask UniSuper’s Industry Policy Manager Benedict Davies—otherwise known as our resident political guru—to take us through the changes in more detail. The finer points of how the two schemes work will become clearer in the coming weeks and months. Keep an eye out on our website www.unisuper.com.au for more info.
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The 'great' budgeting gender divideEpisode #10Marta was riled recently by research suggesting young women are confident with short-term budgeting, but struggle with longer-term finances. So we called two UniSuper members who conducted the research—Professor James Arvanitakis and research assistant Lauren Stanley from the University of Western Sydney—to dig deeper into their findings.
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We need to talk about elder abuse.Episode #9Elder abuse. It mightn’t be the easiest of topics, but we’re starting to hear more about it. To help us understand what it is, why it occurs and some tips to safeguard yourself against it, this month we speak to Briony Dow—Associate Professor of Ageing at the University of Melbourne and Director of the National Ageing Research Institute (NARI).
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"Spending challenge accepted."Episode #8It’s time to face the spending music. This month, we rope in UniSuper Advice's Alexia Jackson to see how Marta and James went with their spending and saving challenge. Things get real—who became more mindful about money? Who saved or spent more? We also talk retirement adequacy—aka, how much you think you’ll need in retirement—and give you some things to consider when planning for the financial future you want.
