APRA releases superannuation fund-level performance data - 2004 - 2010
11.02
The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) today released performance data for individual superannuation funds, covering the seven-year period from 2004 to 2010.
The performance data are for APRA-regulated funds — with the exception of small APRA funds, single-member approved deposit funds, exempt public sector superannuation schemes and pooled superannuation trusts — and are provided in the following two publications:
- Superannuation fund-level rates of return, which contains performance data on the 200 largest funds by asset size as annualised five-year and seven-year average returns, as well as for each of the seven years. These 200 largest funds cover 97 per cent of members and 99 per cent of the assets of APRA-regulated (excluding small) funds, as well as eligible rollover funds (ERFs). The performance data are provided on a consistent basis, irrespective of the funds' year-end, to improve comparability. This publication is available in both PDF and Excel format.
- Superannuation fund-level profiles and financial performance, which contains detailed data for each year from 2004 to 2010. The detailed data allow observers to analyse APRA-regulated funds across a range of measures (subject to privacy considerations). This publication is available in Excel format only.
The latest edition of Superannuation fund-level rates of return includes two new tables with information sorted by five- and seven-year rates of return. It also includes the alphabetical listing of superannuation funds that appeared in previous editions.
The new tables will assist the industry to focus on the long-term performance of superannuation funds and their trustees. A superannuation trustee's ability to generate long-term returns is critical to member retirement benefits and comparisons are useful to judge relative trustee performance.
Under the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act, trustees of superannuation funds must formulate an investment strategy for the benefit of all members of the fund. The performance data released today, much of which are available through financial statements and annual reports, support APRA's objective to promote transparency and accountability.
APRA does not currently collect investment option data from superannuation funds. The Review into the Governance, Efficiency, Structure and Operation of Australia's Superannuation System (the Cooper Review) delivered its final report to the Government in June 2010 and the Government provided its response in December 2010. APRA is currently considering the Cooper Review's findings and the Government's response and reviewing its timeframe for enhancing the superannuation statistics collection. Further information can be found in the superannuation fund-level data publications.
The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) is the prudential regulator of the financial services industry. It oversees banks, mutuals, general insurance and reinsurance companies, life insurance, private health insurers, friendly societies, and most members of the superannuation industry. APRA currently supervises institutions holding around $9 trillion in assets for Australian depositors, policyholders and superannuation fund members.