In as little as two hours, this course provides an overview of the factors affecting investment decisions by superannuation funds, the SIS requirements and constraints imposed on trustees when investing a superannuation fund’s assets, key investment concepts, such as risk and return and their importance and relevance, the various financial markets, the categories of assets and the impact of return, risk, liquidity, and tax on each of the four major asset classes, and alternative investments, derivatives and international investments.
Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:
– explain the SIS requirements when trustees formulate an investment strategy.
– outline the specific constraints trustees have in relation to the investment of fund assets
– explain the difference between capital growth and income
– explain the differences between total return, net return and real return
– outline the various ways to measure risk
– explain the risk/return trade-off
– explain how risk is minimised through diversification
– explain the importance of liquidity in a superannuation fund
– list and describe the main types of financial markets in Australia
– describe the difference between defensive and growth assets
– identify the four major asset classes and their characteristics
– outline the characteristics of alternative investments, derivatives and international investments
– identify the approaches that can be used to minimise risk within a superannuation fund
– explain how superannuation investments are taxed
– understand the reporting requirements in respect of derivative transactions made by a fund.
Investment Essentials is delivered completely online in an interactive e-learning format comprising one e-learning module and a final quiz. Online delivery means you can study anywhere, anytime.
Corporate virtual workshop options are also available – contact us to discuss.
Flexible online
CPD Points
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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.
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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Assistant Treasurer and 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.
