This week the Super Members Council and senior leaders from Australia’s industry super funds were in France and the United Kingdom, meeting with governments, infrastructure owners and investment partners. The goal was simple: find high‑quality long‑term investment opportunities that grow members’ retirement savings.
Australia’s super system is now the fourth‑largest in the world, and it’s growing fast. More than 60 cents of every new dollar flowing into super is already invested offshore, and within five years Australia is expected to have the largest pool of retirement savings outside the United States.
That scale creates opportunity – but also responsibility. To keep delivering strong, stable returns over decades, funds need to find the best deals for members and that means looking overseas as well as domestically.
That’s why places like France and the UK matter.
Both markets offer mature infrastructure sectors, clear regulatory frameworks and assets designed to deliver steady, long‑term returns. Think renewable energy, transport links, digital networks and urban regeneration – the kinds of investments that match the long-term horizons of retirement savings.
Australian super funds a have already invested for years in important European assets – from renewable energy operator ERG, to French toll roads through Atlas Arteria, to major digital infrastructure platforms. These investments help support essential services overseas while contributing to the retirement incomes of millions of Australians.
The next phase is about deepening those partnerships.
Our modelling shows super fund investment in the European Union and the UK is projected to exceed $660 billion over the next decade. Building stronger relationships can help Australian funds deploy capital directly into high‑quality private market projects.
There’s also a bigger picture. In a period of heightened global uncertainty, collaboration between like‑minded countries has never been more important. Australia, France and the UK share strong institutions, long histories of cooperation, and a commitment to stable, rules‑based investment environments.
For super members, this matters because global diversification means stronger protection. It spreads risk, reduces exposure to shocks in any one economy, and helps smooth returns over time.
In short: stronger relationships overseas help deliver better outcomes at home. That’s what this week’s mission is really about – making sure Australian workers’ retirement savings continue working hard for them, wherever in the world the best opportunities are found.
