Spotlight on Retirement

About this event

More than 200,000 Australians retire each year, and the expectations of tomorrow’s retirees are shifting fast. ASFA’s Spotlight on Retirement returns in June 2026 to unpack what members really want from their retirement and to explore the innovative solutions shaping the future of the system.

An expert lineup of speakers will explore topics including:

  • Demographic insights into Australia’s generations
  • Personalising the member advice and retirement journey
  • How innovative advice tools, including AI, can lift retirement outcomes
  • Designing better retirement pathways for members
  • The practicalities of bringing lifetime income solutions to market

 

We look forward to welcoming you as we explore how the industry is navigating an evolving retirement landscape and how we can collectively deliver stronger outcomes for members.


Travel & Accomodation
Travelling to the event? Book your accommodation with RACV at a discounted rate using the link below:
RACV delegate booking link


Program
The program is now live! Note that session times below are indicative and may be subject to change.

Details

RACV City Club

Level 17, 501 Bourke St
17 June, 2026
9:00am – 5:00pm

Pricing (incl. GST)

Individual Pricing

Member: $900
Non-member: $1,170

Table of 8

Member: $6,000 ($750pp)
Non-member: $7,840 ($980pp)

Contact ASFA Events to arrange a table booking.

 

Attendees earn 5 CPD points for this event.

Register

Program

8:45 am Registration opens
9:25 am
Welcome & Opening Remarks ↓
9:30 am
Session 1: Research Round Up ↓

Gain insights from recent research findings proving greater understanding of the Australian retirement horizon, including the outlook on ‘Household Wealth and Financial Liabilities of Retiring Members’ presented by ASFA, and ‘What I Wish I Knew About Retirement’ from TAL.

  • Ross Clare, Head of Research, ASFA
  • Shaun Bransdon, General Manager Retirement & Wealth, TAL
  • Chair: James Koval, Chief Policy & Advocacy Officer, ASFA
10:05 am
Session 2: From Uncertainty to Affordable Certainty: Rethining Life Expectancy in Retirement ↓

Retirement is fundamentally a risk problem – individuals must convert uncertain assets into sustainable lifetime income under multiple sources of uncertainty. This session will explore how we can use insurance offerings for better retirement outcomes.

  • Speakers coming soon!
10:25 am
Session 3: Tailoring Retirement Income Streams to suit Member Preferences ↓

The best practice principles for retirement income highlights that super funds should have a lifetime income stream option available for members. But the question is: “Which one?” This session will look at the options available, indicators of retired members preferences, and review their behaviour to provide guidance on how to select a retirement income stream that is appropriate to the member base.

  • Hazel Bateman, Professor, UNSW Business School; Director, UniSuper
  • Angela Hartl, Retirement Income Consulting Leader, Mercer
  • Chair: Aaron Minney, Head of Retirement Income Research, Challenger
11:00 am
Session 4: Lessons from ASIC's Retirement Planner Campaign ↓

ASIC’s major new Moneysmart tool, Retirement Planner, has been live for three months. Hear what the regulator has learned about what Australians want to know about retirement, data on uptake and how the super sector can leverage the insights to give members better information to plan for retirement.

  • Andrew Dadswell, Senior Specialist – Moneysmart, ASIC
11:15 am Morning Tea
11:45 am
Session 5 ↓

More information coming soon!
12:20 pm
Session 6: Designing Better Retirement Pathways for Members ↓

Member-centric retirement pathways are ones that identify and consider core member needs in a determined and consistent strategic way in a better member experience from the moment members join to the the lead-up and through retirement resulting in more confident retirees.

  • Katherine Salih, AustralianSuper
12:55 pm Lunch
1:55 pm
Session 7: Lifting Retirement Outcomes through Innovative Advice and AI Tools ↓

Gain insights into the innovative digital advice options currently being launched that enable greater personalisation and access to advice offering the potential to lift members’ retirement outcomes.

  • Peter Hogg, General Manager Guidance & Advice, Aware Super
  • Gary Wood, Head of Advice, Delivery and Digital, UniSuper
2:30 pm
Session 8: Demographic Insights into Australia's Generations ↓

The presentation will offer an overview of Australia’s generational cohorts, providing insights into how their defining characteristics shape the behaviours, values, and consumption patterns relevant to the superanuation sector.

  • Hari Hara Priya Kannan, Data Scientist & Demographer
  • Chair: Ben Hillier, Director, Retirement, AMP
3:05 pm Afternoon Tea
3:35 pm
Session 9 ↓

More information coming soon!
4:10 pm
Session 10: Assistant Treasurer's Address ↓

Hear from the Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services, the Hon. Dr Daniel Mulino MP.

 
4:20 pm
Closing Remarks ↓
4:25 pm Networking

Speakers

Hazel Bateman

Professor UNSW Business School, Director UniSuper

Speaker Bio

Hazel Bateman
Professor UNSW Business School, Director UniSuper

Hazel Bateman is a Professor of Pension Economics and Finance in the School of Risk & Actuarial Studies, UNSW Business School. Between 2017 and 2024 she was Deputy Director of CEPAR – the ARC Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research. Hazel’s research interests focus on consumer financial decision making especially as it relates to retirement accumulation and decumulation. Her current research investigates the demand for retirement income products, aged care financing and home equity release. She is the author of over 130 peer-reviewed publications, book chapters and reports and has consulted on retirement income issues to international organisations including the OECD and the World Bank. She is the Chair of Netspar’s Scientific Council and President of the International Pension Research Association (IPRA). She also serves on the Advisory Boards of the Mercer CFA Institute Global Pension Index and the Conexus Institute. In 2024 she was appointed to the Board of UniSuper and currently serves on the Member Services Committee.

Shaun Bransdon

General Manager, Retirement & Wealth, TAL

Speaker Bio

Shaun Bransdon
General Manager, Retirement & Wealth, TAL

Shaun has over 16 years’ experience across investment platforms, superannuation and life investment products at TAL and the Macquarie Group. In his current role, Shaun leads a team of product, investment and operational specialists who develop and deliver retirement income solutions to Australian superannuation funds. He also leads the teams responsible for managing and growing TAL’s wealth partnerships.

Ross Clare

Head of Research, ASFA

Speaker Bio

Ross Clare
Head of Research, ASFA

In this role Ross has been responsible for preparation of research papers across a range of superannuation and retirement income issues, including adequacy of retirement income and the structure of the Australian retirement income system. 

He is responsible, amongst other things, for the development and maintenance of the ASFA Retirement Standard, which is now very commonly used.

Prior to joining the staff of ASFA he held senior positions with the Australian Treasury and an Australian Government research agency, the Economic Planning Advisory Commission.

Ross has degrees in Economics and Law from the Australian National University. 

Andrew Dadswell

Senior Specialist - Moneysmart, ASIC

Speaker Bio

Andrew Dadswell
Senior Specialist - Moneysmart, Australian Securities and Investments Commission

Andrew has worked in the field of financial education for over 20 years in the private and public sectors. Andrew’s experience is across all aspects of ASIC’s financial education initiatives, including communications, research, digital and strategy.

Andrew leads ASIC’s Moneysmart Program team which is responsible for the recent Super in Retirement campaign.

Angela Hartl

Retirement Income Consulting Leader, Mercer

Speaker Bio

Angela Hartl
Retirement Income Consulting Leader, Mercer

Angie is a Principal and Retirement Income Consulting leader at Mercer Consulting and a qualified Actuary based in Sydney. She specialises in helping trustees enhance member outcomes during the retirement phase and frequently speaks at retirement conferences while publishing thought leadership pieces. Alongside her retirement-focused work, she is also a defined benefit Actuary. With over 25 years of experience at Mercer, her international career spans both the United Kingdom and Australia.

Ben Hillier

Director, Retirement, AMP

Speaker Bio

Ben Hillier
Director, Retirement, AMP

Bachelor of Commerce with majors in Politics and Public Policy, Marketing, and Organisational Psychology

Ben Hillier, joined the fund in 2021. He has 16 years’ experience in every sector of superannuation, with prior roles at ANZ (corporate and SAFs), Super Concepts (SMSFs), Sunsuper (multi-industry fund) and QSuper (public sector).

Prior to working within superannuation, Ben worked in the banking, property and energy sectors with a focus on innovation and product development.

Ben has been at the forefront of innovation in superannuation, having led the following initiatives:

- First fund to be awarded a MySuper authorisation (Sunsuper)
- First fund to offer a retirement bonus (Sunsuper)
- First fund to offer an Innovative Retirement Income Stream (QSuper)
- First fund to offer complete investment choice in a lifetime income stream (North)
- First fund to offer deferred lifetime income in accumulation phase (North)
- First fund to default members into a deferred lifetime income stream (AMP)

Hari Hara Priya Kannan

Data Scientist, Demographer & Speaker

Speaker Bio

Hari Hara Priya Kannan
Data Scientist, Demographer & Speaker

Hari Haran is Chief Data Scientist at The Demographics Group and the analytical force behind the data-rich columns of Bernard Salt and Simon Kuestenmacher. A master of data science (RMIT University), Hari writes a monthly column for The Australian and is a sought-after speaker, delivering keynote presentations and panel appearances across Australia.

She engages audiences with expert insights on housing, migration, international education, ageing, regional opportunities, workforce change, and the rise of AI and digital skills. Hari prepares bespoke, data-driven presentations, translating complex trends into clear, actionable take-outs. A trusted media commentator, she appears regularly on podcasts, radio, and national TV, and is occasionally commissioned to produce data-based thought leadership for client publications.

James Koval

Chief Policy & Advocacy Officer, ASFA

Speaker Bio

James Koval
Chief Policy & Advocacy Officer, ASFA

James joined the ASFA team in 2024 to lead policy, research and advocacy. James brings over a decade of public policy experience working for government, peak-body organisations, and other key policy and strategic roles.  

ASFA is the peak policy, research and advocacy body for Australia’s superannuation sector, and the role of James’ team is to advocate for efficiency, sustainability and trust in Australia’s world-class retirement income system and to ensure all Australians are able to enjoy a dignified retirement. 

Prior to joining ASFA, James has worked as a government engagement specialist in the Vice-Chancellor’s office at the University of Sydney and prior to that worked in various roles across government, including for treasurers, government leaders, and senior cabinet ministers.

James holds qualifications from the Australian National University and has undertaken further learning with the London School of Economics and the University of Sydney. 

Hon. Dr. Daniel Mulino MP

Assistant Treasurer, Minister for Financial Services

Speaker Bio

Hon. Dr. Daniel Mulino MP
Assistant Treasurer, Minister for Financial Services

Born in Brindisi, Italy, Daniel was a young child when he moved with his family to Australia. He grew up in Canberra and completed his first degrees – arts and law – at the ANU. He then completed a Master of Economics (University of Sydney) and a PhD in economics from Yale.

He lectured at Monash University, was an economic adviser in the Gillard government and was a Victorian MP from 2014 to 2018. As Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer of Victoria, Daniel helped deliver major infrastructure projects and developed innovative financing structures for community projects.

In 2018 he was preselected for the new federal seat of Fraser and became its first MP at the 2019 election, re-elected in 2022 and 2025. From 2022 to 2025, Daniel was chair of the House of Representatives’ Standing Economics Committee in which he chaired inquiries; economic dynamism, competition and business formation and insurers’ responses to 2022 major floods claims.

In 2025, he became the Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services.

In August 2022, Daniel published ‘Safety Net: The Future of Welfare in Australia’, which aims to explore the ways in which an insurance approach can improve the effectiveness of government service delivery.

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