Australia unveiled its new annual budget amidst a soaring currency
and rising prices. Of significance to the Islamic finance market is the
submission of the final report that recently went to the Board of
Taxation to help create the IF an equal footing, tax wise, with
conventional banking, creating an infrastructure that does not penalise
in any way Shari'ah-compliant institutions or products. (source)
The Board will then submit the report to the Treasurer setting the
game in motion. The Australian government has been declaring its
intentions to accommodate Islamic finance and the new tax initiatives
are a precursor for good things to come for the sector in that
continent.
It is left to be seen whether the tax proposals will help jump start
both the retail and wholesale IF market, the latter being opening new
opportunities for the public and private sectors to draw on equities,
assets and savings in the Gulf and Asia markets.
The countrys four major banks, though lacking expertise, will begin
taking a keener interest in the sector and might spur the introduction
of new products.
Many countries, including Arab ones, kick start their IF business by
issuing an interest-free Islamic bond or Sukuk denominated in the
countrys currency and managed by the issuers Central Bank. Australia can
follow suit with similar strategies especially that it can fund
hundreds of ongoing infrastructural projects in various parts of the
country, many of which are delayed and needing capital, mostly petro
Dollar infusion, similar to similar strategies implemented by the UK.
There has been work done outside the continent already. Douglas
Johnson, CEO of Codexa Capital recently announced thats among the
milestones his company has achieved is the approval by the Central Bank
of Bahrain for the firstever Shari'ah-compliant Australian equity fund
for international investors, in conjunction with Brisbane-based Hyperion
Asset Management. The underlying model portfolio has returned some 13%
in US dollar terms since the beginning of 2011.
Chaaban Omran CEO of Crescent Investments Australasia, a
Shari'ahcompliant wealth management company, is also the former Managing
Director of Muslim Community Co-operative Australia (MCCA),
instrumental in demutualising the co-operative and in attaining
Australia's first Australian Financial Services License for a Shari'ah
Compliant Retail Investment Fund. He provided Business Islamica with
some relevant data in support of the introduction of Islamic Finance in
the country.
Superannuation: The way in
Superannuation is a retirement (including pensions) program in
Australia. It has a compulsory element whereby employers are required by
law to pay an additional amount based on a proportion of an employee's
salaries and wages (currently 9%) into a complying superannuation fund,
which can be accessed when the employee meets one of the conditions of
release in Australia.
This currently stands at over A$1trillion in assets. In addition to
that, there is an Islamic niche market worth A$3-6 billion in assets.
-And yet there are no Shari'ah-compliant products in the continent,
despite the existence of a first mover advantage to get into the
superannuation market using Shari'ah products, Omran said.
Retirement savings (superannuation) trends in Australia:
- Mandatory for wage earners since 1992 currently 9% of gross wage even greater under Cooper Review to increase to 12%;
- Currently, A$1 Trillion in superannuation assets that is forecast to double within the next 7 year and triple 4 5 years thereafter;
- Dominant fund type: 186 public offer/retail funds 32.4% of all Super assets;
- Average household superannuation holding = A$63,000;
- 67 Industry funds with $219 billion in assets and 16.6 million members
- 154 retail funds with $346 billion in assets and 11.6 million members
- 420,000 SMSFs with $386 billion in assets and 800,000 members
On April 29, 2010, the Cooper Review into superannuation released its
report into self managed super funds (SMSF). SMSFs allow people to
control their own super investments for their retirement. If you set one
up, you're responsible for running it in accordance with the law and
reporting to the ATO on its operation.
With SMSFs you control your money. -This is where Crescent
Investments comes in Did you know that up to 40% of conventional equity
funds on the ASX invest in Riba-based stocks such as banks?, asked
Omran.
Australia Emerging IBF Market
Senator Ho. Nick Sherry toured the Middle-East and GCC in April 2010
promoting the move to accommodate Shari'ah Compliant products and
services: Crescent shared podium with Senator at Grand Hyatt Qatar
addressing Qatar Chamber of Commerce promoting Australia as an ideal
investment destination Trade Minister Simon Crean had launched the
Australian Government's first-ever comprehensive publication on Islamic
finance.
The booklet Islamic Finance provides a detailed explanation of the
opportunities that booming Shari'ah-compliant investment and banking
offers Australia's financial services sector.
The launch of Austrade's Islamic Finance publication coincided with
Westpac's Special Interbank Placement for Islamic institutions. Westpac
will offer a short term wholesale investment structure for Islamic
institutions based on the buying and selling of commodities.
Some 365,000 Muslims live in Australia and would use Islamic financial services if they were more accessible:
- Zaid Ibrahim & Co established an office in Melbourne to provide Islamic Finance Advisory Services
- Market research by Nathie (2004) 90% of respondents would move their super into a Shari'ah compliant investment if offered by traditional super funds.
Australian Muslims Some Facts
- The Muslim Population of 365,000 exceeds the combined Muslim population of Hong Kong and Japan and is more than half of that of Singapore.
- 50% of domiciled in the state of New South Wales (NSW), whilst 33% are resident in Victoria;
- 49.5% are below the age of 24.
- Growth rate of 40.2% since the 1996 Census
- Collectively:
- Faster growing
- Younger
- Mostly domiciled in NSW & VIC
Facts about Crescent Investments Australasia and Funds Management
- Australias first Shari'ah-Compliant Equities Fund
- Focused on Shari'ah-Compliant Wealth Management
- Leading expertise in Islamic Finance & Wealth Management licensed by ASIC both wholesale and retail.
- Building Australias first WRAP-like platform
- Wealth Management An attractive growth Industry
- Legislated growth 9%pa
- Assets already accumulated
- First mover advantage
- Professional Investment Partners - Solid investment track record
- Appointment of Sigma Funds Management record of Outperformance with Credit Suisse, Schroders, ING and Macquarie Bank in Australian Equities
About the Author
Chaaban Omran is the former Managing Director of Muslim Community
Cooperative Australia (MCCA). Chaaban was instrumental in demutualising
the cooperative and in attaining Australia's first Australian Financial
Services License for a Shari'ah Compliant Retail Investment Fund. Also
during his time at MCCA, Chaaban lectured and presented to the banking
and services industry, both domestically and internationally, on the
future of Islamic Banking in Australia as well as developing and
submitting a strategic roadmap for the Australian government on the
barriers to Islamic Banking and the possible solutions.
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