Media Release

Infrastructure and super is a global conversation: ASFA Investment Interchange

Published 4 October, 2013

Published 4 October, 2013

4 October 2013

Infrastructure and super is a global conversation: ASFA Investment Interchange

A global dialogue about the role of superannuation investing in infrastructure projects is essential to help deliver better outcomes for funds and their members. This was the key message at the ASFA Investment Interchange held in Wollongong today.

ASFA Director of Investments Mr Gordon Noble says with governments around the world increasingly turning to the private sector to fund infrastructure, now is an opportune time to break the impasse and create a pathway to facilitate this investment.

“One of the key challenges the investment community faces globally is its all-too-often passive culture. With super funds showing more interest than ever before in investing in infrastructure projects and governments increasingly willing to let the private sector step in, now is the time to start a dialogue about how this can be modelled in a way that delivers the best outcomes for fund members.”

Addressing an audience of infrastructure policy representatives from around the world, Chairman of the SMART Infrastructure Facility Advisory Council Dr Ken Henry called on the Government to develop a national approach.

“What will it take in order for Australia to develop a robust long-term pipeline of infrastructure projects?” Dr Henry asked.

AustralianSuper and ASX Board member Ms Heather Ridout called on the industry to take a more active role in helping the Government develop a pipeline for transfer-ready projects.

“Industry and government has to stop talking and actually do something about it,” Ms Ridout said.

SMART CEO Mr Garry Bowditch reinforced this sentiment, encouraging the industry to actively participate in conversations with the Government about the future of Australia’s infrastructure investment.

“There is a very serious conversation to be had so make your voices heard,” Mr Bowditch concluded.

The Investment Interchange featured presentations from domestic and international speakers. For a full speaker list visit the ASFA website.

For copies of speaker presentations, please contact ASFA Media Manager Lisa Chikarovski on 0451 949 300.

About ASFA

ASFA is the peak policy, research and advocacy body for Australia’s superannuation industry. It is a not-for-profit, sector-neutral, and non-party political national organisation whose aim is to advance effective retirement outcomes for members of funds through research, advocacy and the development of policy and industry best practice.

Acknowledgement of Country

We want to respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians of these lands, seas, and waters throughout Australia. We pay our respects to Elders both past and present. We acknowledge the history, the resilience and the continual contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of their Country.

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Daniel Mulino MP

Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services

Sessions

Keynote 8 – Navigating the energy transition: opportunities, investor strategies and policy needs

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.