AUSTRALIAN SUPER: UPDATE
Update to Quit Nukes 2024 Report – Australian Super
August 2025
Summary
Since the 2024 Report was published, Australian Super has revised the criteria for exclusion of companies from the Socially Aware option.
From 1 August 2025, the fund will exclude nuclear weapons companies from the Socially Aware option.
There has been no change to fund-wide exclusions and Australian Super continues to hold shares in nuclear weapons companies in its MySuper option.
2024 Report – Australian Super
The 2024 Report made specific reference to Australian Super.
There were no exclusions in place for nuclear weapons companies in the MySuper option, nor for companies producing any other controversial weapons.
The research showed that on 31 December 2023 Australian Super held 0.70% of its MySuper Option in shares of nuclear weapons companies, amounting to $1.5 billion.
Australian Super also held fixed interest investments in nuclear weapons companies on 31 December 2023 in its MySuper option.
On 31 December 2023 Australian Super held 0.71% of its Socially Aware/responsible investment option in nuclear weapons companies, amounting to $20.68 million.
Australian Super was one of only two funds in the 2024 Quit Nukes study which held shares in nuclear weapons companies in its responsible investment option, the other being Spirit Super.
(Spirit Super merged with Care Super on 1 November 2024. The Care Super Sustainable Balanced option, to which Spirit Super members in the responsible investment option were migrated, excludes nuclear weapons companies)
Australian Super excludes nuclear weapons from the Socially Aware option from 1 August 2025
Effective from 1 August 2025 Australian Super has excluded nuclear weapons companies (as defined) from its Socially Aware option, without including nuclear weapons in the definition of controversial weapons.
It has expanded the exclusion of other controversial weapons in the Socially Aware option from land mines and cluster munitions only, to cover biological and chemical weapons; incendiary weapons using white phosphorous; depleted uranium weapons, ammunition or armour; and weapons with non-detectible fragments.
Ref: Australian Super Investment Guide 1 August 2024 (pdf) https://www.australiansuper.com/
Definition of Nuclear Weapons companies for the purpose of exclusion from Australian Super’s Socially Aware Option
- Companies that, or companies that own 50% or more of companies that:
produce nuclear warheads, missiles, and delivery platforms capable of deploying nuclear weapons - produce essential intended or dual-use components for nuclear weapons and nuclear weapon delivery systems,
- and/or provide support services for nuclear weapons, including companies with contracts to operate/manage government-owned facilities that conduct research and development, testing, simulations, and other essential sciences on nuclear weapons.