Hi There

Well, winter is definitely here. It's bl**dy freezing! Grab yourself a hot coffee or hot chocolate (even better!) and read on. We've got some interesting ideas this week.

Cheers

Sarah

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK - TO AI OR NOT TO AI IS NOT THE QUESTION!

Australian Food Super has 65,000 members, many of them young, a lot of them not native English speakers. As a smaller fund, they have the ability to make decisions far more quickly and try out new things. For instance, RetireSmart+.

RetireSmart+ is a chat-style tool (built in conjunction with InvestStream) that lets members ask about their super in plain language and get a real answer back. And the smart bit isn't the AI, it's where they didn't use it. Every projection runs through a deterministic calculation engine. AI only translates the output into words a member understands.

So, as well as all the usual calculator-style projections, members can also ask questions about any term they don't understand or anything to do with super at all, in fact.

I'm sure we'll see more of these style of apps in future, and it's fantastic to see the first one actually live!

AusFood Super looks to revitalise member engagement - Financial Standard

Super fund embraces AI for retirement planning experience - Super Review

LATEST NEWS & VIEWS

ASIC boasts $830m record civil penalties - Financial Standard SP - seriously, ASIC have been on an absolute rampage in the last year or two, and it only seems to be escalating.

Super trustees caught in ASIC’s record enforcement year - Super Review

ASX to rejig corporate governance framework - Financial Standard

FAR yet to bare its teeth in superannuation - Investment Magazine

YFYS performance test has done its dash- Professional Planner

The super funds thriving over 10 years - The Super Review

Aussies ditch 'Great Australian Dream,' pursue 'Great Australian Lifestyle' - Financial Standard

Advisers sympathise with super members subject to poor service - Professional Planner

Gen Z turns to super earlier as retirement doubts deepen - Super Review

WORTH YOUR TIME

That Super Show

In this episode, Neil and I sit down with Kerry Vogel, Head of Insurance Claims, Performance and Delivery at CBUS, to reveal how her team turned a complex, high‑risk death claims process into a streamlined, compassionate experience.

Listen in at thatsuper.show.

Events we are running/speaking at:

CREW Webinar - Systemic Issues with guest speaker Jocelyn Furlan FAICD - Tuesday, 18 August 2026 from 1-2pm via Zoom. Register here. Women only, sorry blokes.

HOLD THE DATE - more details to come soon:

PDS Managers in-person roundtables -

Sydney 16 September 2026 and Melbourne 29 October 2026

For a full list of industry events relevant to SSFPP readers, click here.

DEATH AND DISABILITY CLAIMS

I recently moderated a panel on this topic at the Future Fund Admin Conference with three guest speakers – Kerry Vogel (Head of Insurance Claims, Performance and Delivery at CBUS Super Fund) Jocelyn Furlan (Non-executive Director and Chair) and Alison Bodinnar (Insurance and Superannuation Executive). We covered so much material we decided to make a blog out of it. Read on here.

NEW TO THE SSFPP?

...and want to have this nifty newsletter delivered to your inbox every week?

Sign me up!

Australia’s leading* PDS and communications experts

1 – Are you drowning in PDSs? Are you looking for a lower risk, more efficient process?

2 – Are there any clouds on your business horizon? Do you have the right comms strategy in place?

3 – Do you need expert help to make a change to your business?

Then let's talk! mayflower.com.au

*Just ask us...

In the spirit of reconciliation Mayflower Consulting acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past, present and future and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today. Always was, always will be Aboriginal land.