Investing in Australia: Accelerating Industry Super Investment and Growing Australia’s Housing Supply

Proposed policy settings could help create as many as 100,000 new homes for Australians, according to a blueprint released by IFM Investors.

Investing in Australia: Accelerating Industry Super Investment and Growing Australia’s Housing Supply details the steps governments can take to boost investment that delivers appropriate risk-adjusted returns to workers’ retirement savings and help deliver housing at scale. The key recommendation to at least double the Housing Australia Future Fund – from $10 billion to $20 billion – and aligning state and Commonwealth efforts to drive investment – has the potential to significantly increase the supply of social and affordable housing. Australia’s superannuation system is one of the largest and fastest growing in the world, with more than $4 trillion of funds under management.

Quotes attributable to IFM Investors Head of Global External Relations, David Whiteley:

“The opportunity exists to establish a new asset class for super funds that delivers strong risk-adjusted returns to members and addresses the current supply-side and therefore affordability challenges in the housing market.” “Collaboration between government and business is typically necessary to address systemic challenges facing economies and communities. Housing affordability is no exception and the right policy settings can deliver strong returns to members and address the housing shortage.”

Quotes attributable to Community Housing Industry Association CEO, Wendy Hayhurst:

“Industry Super Funds have long invested in nation-building infrastructure. Housing should be next and the solutions are on the table.” “There’s a genuine opportunity to harness Australia’s superannuation savings to help solve our housing crisis. The alternative – a future of deepening housing insecurity and social instability – is simply unthinkable.”

Full media release here