A landmark former orphanage site in Surrey Hills could be transformed into a new residential community under plans lodged by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/antipodean-land-developments">Antipodean Land Developments</a> that would deliver 76 apartments and townhouses while restoring some of the suburb's most significant heritage buildings.

The burgeoninng Melbourne-based developer has submitted plans for the 9,158 sqm site at 1 Kent Road and 24 Durham Road, home to the former St Joseph's Home for Destitute Children, a historic institutional complex dating back to the late 19th century. The proposal seeks to adaptively reuse several heritage buildings while introducing two new four-storey residential buildings set within extensive landscaped grounds.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a> and Kerstin Thompson Architects, the project has been conceived as a contemporary residential village embedded within a restored heritage precinct. The development team describes the design approach as "The Village in the Garden," with new buildings positioned among mature landscaping by OCULUS and significant heritage structures.

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="44ec8c1b-c0b6-44ae-859e-5811b3e6a023" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%281%29.png?VersionId=p.p1_KFh4iQoV4nisdnPfQBAsWNi7m79" />

The proposal would deliver 76 dwellings comprising a mix of apartments and duplex-style residences, significantly increasing housing supply on one of the largest privately held residential landholdings in Surrey Hills. The development includes 127 car spaces, 24 bicycle spaces and more than 1,000 sqm of communal amenity, with the existing chapel building earmarked for conversion into resident facilities.

According to the planning submission, the project centres on the restoration and adaptive reuse of the site's most significant heritage assets, including the original c.1889 St Joseph's building, the chapel designed by architect Augustus Andrew Fritsch, and the historic brick perimeter walls and entry gates. The proposal also incorporates the retention of other contributory buildings including the former infirmary and school building.

Tract Consultants, in the planning report accompanying the application, said the scheme had been shaped through extensive heritage analysis and design development.

"The shared vision for the Site by the project team has culminated in a scheme which successfully breathes life back into a historic site while delivering upon the objectives of Victoria's Housing Statement in a carefully curated and contextually responsive manner."

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7263b7d8-95ea-400f-9531-6ca7d22c3c33" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%282%29.png?VersionId=4cR1tiWOsDpgxEOwZi5vVFcyvvOsYkIE" />

The proposal is being assessed under Victoria's Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway. As part of the application, three per cent of the project's residential development cost would be contributed to the Social Housing Growth Fund. The development would also provide a diverse mix of one, two and three-bedroom residences targeting a broader range of buyers than typically found in Surrey Hills' detached housing market.

Sustainability initiatives include an anticipated 66 per cent BESS score, natural cross-ventilation to 80 per cent of apartments, 28 per cent deep soil landscaping and a canopy cover outcome exceeding local planning requirements. The proposal also sets aside more than 1,083 sqm for communal indoor and outdoor resident amenity spaces.

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="33fad46f-fe26-4d0a-acfd-6b776e1c6a3d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design.png?VersionId=D9F6WVSyYCtGvSUmith35LRp6R7PQkw_" />

Planning documents describe the property as one of the largest underutilised residential sites in Surrey Hills, arguing it presents a rare opportunity to introduce "missing middle" housing in an established inner-eastern suburb while preserving and revitalising a significant heritage precinct.

Antipodean Land Developments has built a reputation for design-focused residential projects across Melbourne, particularly in the medium-density sector. Previous developments include Neighbourhood in Brunswick East, delivered with Breathe Architecture, and Balfe Park Lane, designed by Kerstin Thompson Architects.

They've been very active in site acquisition as they build out their future development pipeline. They recently launched Thornubury House, 45 apartments above a mix of commercial, retail, and food and beverage tenancies, and have plans for a boutique project in Fitzroy and another <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/vic/antipodean-plan-apartments-for-deepdenes-missing-middle-on-whitehorse-road">"missing middle" project</a> on Deepdene's Whitehorse Road.

Joel Robinson

First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills

Developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/auyin-property-development">Auyin</a> is the latest to turn to the Victorian Government's Development Facilitation Program in an effort to secure approval for its long-planned, mixed-use project in Elsternwick.

In 2018, Auyin lodged plans with Glen Eira City Council for a 14-storey building, however Council approved a reduced eight-storey scheme. A subsequent VCAT appeal in 2019 upheld the eight-storey height limit.

The project was later amended to nine storeys, but Auyin is now seeking to revive something closer to its original vision. The developer argues that the planning context has evolved significantly over the past decade, particularly within the Elsternwick Activity Centre, where higher-density development has increasingly been encouraged along Glen Huntly Road.

The proposal would transform the 1,239 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/7-12-horne-street-elsternwick-vic-3185">7-15 Horne Street</a>, opposite Elsternwick Railway Station, into a 13-storey residential and retail development designed by CBG Architects, with 40 apartments

The site currently comprises three commercial properties.

<img alt="First look: 13-storey mixed-use tower planned for Elsternwick activity centre" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5f465dd4-509b-4082-a669-0253b313914b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/elsternwick%20podium.png?VersionId=72frWi0SmQ5AVJ3ARRhX5ILUYObhTm7x" />

The proposed apartment mix comprises 25 two-bedroom and 15 three-bedroom residences above 200 sqm of retail space at ground level. Residents would have access to a 90 sqm wellness facility, a 351 sqm communal indoor and outdoor terrace on the third level, and extensive landscaped areas throughout the development. A publicly accessible 135 sqm plaza would be created on the north-east corner of the site, providing seating, landscaping, and a new gathering space adjoining Horne Street.

The design adopts a four-storey podium that references the finer-grain character of the surrounding streetscape, with the upper tower recessed behind generous setbacks on all boundaries.

<img alt="First look: 13-storey mixed-use tower planned for Elsternwick activity centre" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e637e763-2abc-4c34-a0aa-5c7ad36fae18" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/elsternwick%20open.png?VersionId=J1AoOpZgTyaF.KeeFSX6lMjEScX8KKRi" />

A key element of the proposal is the reconfiguration and widening of the surrounding laneways. Vehicle access would be retained from Lois Lane, with upgraded pedestrian connections linking Ross Street and Horne Street. The development would provide 58 residential car spaces, two retail car spaces, and 52 bicycle spaces across two basement levels and ground-floor facilities.

Architecturally, the building draws inspiration from the established character of Elsternwick Village. The façade combines dark charcoal brickwork, textured concrete, bronze-toned metal detailing, and extensive planting integrated into podium and tower levels. The design also incorporates a chamfered corner treatment and publicly accessible plaza intended to strengthen pedestrian activity around the station precinct.

Elsternwick's last new development completion was&nbsp;EVA Elsternwick by Pitard late last year. <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/milieu-property">Milieu</a> is working away on its nature-led neighbourhood, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/elsternwick-gardens-by-milieu-8-gordon-street-elsternwick-vic-3185">Elsternwick Gardens</a>, on Gordon Street, with its first stage expected to complete next year.

First look: Auyin seeks mixed-use apartment project in growing Elsternwick Activity Centre

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/otium-parkdale-123-125-como-parade-east-parkdale-vic-3195">Otium Parkdale</a>, the 13-residence boutique development by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/huxtable-property">Huxtable Property</a>, has entered its final stages of delivery, with completion expected within the coming month and more than half of the residences sold.

The Como Parade East project is nearing the finish line at a time when opportunities to purchase new apartments in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/parkdale-vic-3195">Parkdale</a> remain exceptionally limited. Fewer than 10 per cent of dwellings in the bayside suburb are apartments, making developments like Otium a relatively rare addition to a market traditionally dominated by detached housing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134974 project_image_fid=5427]

The three-level development comprises 13 residences, including ten two-bedroom apartments and three larger three-bedroom homes, all positioned above a secure basement car park.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/almeida-architects">Almeida Architects</a> with a strong connection to its coastal surroundings, Otium combines red brick, exposed concrete and dark metal detailing with integrated landscaping and greenery. Expansive glazing, generous balconies and terraces have been incorporated throughout the design to maximise natural light and reinforce indoor-outdoor living.

Inside, the residences feature engineered European oak flooring, natural and reconstituted stone benchtops, Bosch kitchen appliances, ducted heating and cooling, lift access and secure entry systems. The larger three-bedroom residences on the upper level have been designed with house-like proportions, while the two-bedroom apartments prioritise functionality, flexibility and low-maintenance living.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134974 project_image_fid=5421]

The project is now in its final stages, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/labco">Labco</a> completing the remaining landscaping and external finishing works following the completion of the residences' interiors.

Otium's location within the heart of Parkdale continues to underpin its appeal. Residents will be just steps from local cafés, restaurants, shops and the newly elevated Parkdale Station, while the beach is less than a kilometre away.

With the project tracking ahead of schedule, buyers can currently secure a residence with a five per cent deposit and benefit from settlement terms of up to eight months. The advanced stage of construction also provides buyers with the opportunity to walk through the near-complete residences and experience the quality and finishes firsthand ahead of completion.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134974]

Otium Parkdale enters final month before completion as rare apartment opportunity nears sellout

A new boutique apartment development is entering the market in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/chermside-qld-4032">Chermside</a>, with Brisbane-based developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/ausdev">Ausdev</a> bringing 33 residences to a well-connected pocket of Brisbane's north.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/parkdrive-apartments-chermside-25-sammells-drive-chermside-qld-4032">Parkdrive Apartments</a>, at 25 Sammells Drive, will comprise a mix of one- and two-bedroom residences positioned within walking distance of Westfield Chermside, The Prince Charles Hospital, and Bradbury Park.

Established in 1989, Ausdev has a long-standing presence across both development and construction, with Parkdrive Apartments representing its latest residential project in Brisbane's northern suburbs.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152125 project_image_fid=363778]

The development has been designed around open-plan living and natural light, with residences featuring stone benchtops, timber cabinetry, BOSCH appliances, and private balconies that extend the living areas outdoors.

Kitchens are positioned as the centrepiece of the homes, incorporating natural material palettes and integrated appliances, while bathrooms have been designed with a focus on functionality and understated finishes.

Residents will have access to a communal barbecue and entertaining area on Level 3, providing shared outdoor space within the development. Secure parking and lift access are also incorporated into the building.

The project will deliver a limited collection of 33 apartments, with one-bedroom residences priced from $749,000.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152125 project_image_fid=363782]

Beyond the building itself, the location places residents within easy reach of several of Chermside's key amenities. Bradbury Park is around 350 metres away, while Westfield Chermside is approximately 1.3 kilometres from the site. The Prince Charles Hospital is located within 750 metres, and the Chermside Bus Interchange is around 1.5 kilometres away, providing connections across Brisbane.

Parkdrive Apartments adds to the growing residential pipeline in Chermside, a suburb that continues to evolve as a major retail, healthcare, and transport hub for Brisbane's north.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152125]

Ausdev introduces boutique Parkdrive Apartments to Chermside's growing centre

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/skymark-group">Skymark</a>'s boutique Cronulla development Solis has secured a 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy through Resilience Insurance, providing buyers of the 16-residence building on Ewos Parade with structural and waterproofing protection that extends a decade beyond the building's completion.

Currently under construction and due for completion in late 2027, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/solis-cronulla-8-ewos-parade-cronulla-nsw-2230">Solis</a> is one of a small number of new developments in the Sutherland Shire to carry Resilience LDI coverage, a distinction that carries increasing weight as buyer confidence in the off-the-plan sector continues to be shaped by how developers stand behind their product.

Latent Defects Insurance, which entered the Australian market in 2022 when Resilience Insurance was approved to offer the cover, protects buyers against major structural or waterproofing defects for ten years post-completion. Unlike traditional statutory warranties, it operates as a first-resort policy, if a covered defect arises, the insurer responds directly, without the buyer needing to pursue the builder or developer through a lengthy claims process.

Resilience Insurance CEO Corey Nugent has noted that the product addresses something fundamental to the new apartment market.

"The overarching feedback from prospective buyers in the new development space is that they want more confidence and assurances around the quality of the build," Nugent says.

"Resilience Insurance Latent Defects Insurance not only gives them complete peace of mind for 10 years, but it shows the developer they are buying from is standing by their product."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370898]

For Solis, the Resilience LDI policy adds a meaningful layer of accountability to an already considered project. The development comprises nine two-bedroom and seven three-bedroom residences, including one dual-level three-bedroom apartment, across a five-storey building on Ewos Parade, positioned between Shelly Beach and South Cronulla.

Garden apartments connect directly to private landscaped courtyards, while upper-level homes capture beach views to the east from level four and above.&nbsp;

All 16 residences include at least one balcony or courtyard, and select apartments on the upper floors feature bar areas and secondary flexible living spaces.

Hiba Sander, Managing Director of Skymark, says Solis offers a rare balance, nestled between the quiet beauty of secluded beaches and the lively charm of South Cronulla's esplanade.

"It's a place to choose your pace and live gracefully, seaside'," Sander says.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370900]

The architecture, designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ida-design-group">IDA Design Group</a>'s Michael Trinh, draws from the natural erosion patterns of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/cronulla-nsw-2230">Cronulla</a>'s sandstone headlands, translating the organic forms of the coastline into soft curves, pavilion-style massing, and a material palette chosen for longevity in a salt-tinged environment.&nbsp;

Textured natural stone, soft renders, and timber-look battens reference the tones of the surrounding cliffs, while the building has been oriented to maximise natural light and passive ventilation, with primary living spaces facing north and east to capture morning sun and sea breezes.

"At Solis, our aim was to create architecture that feels quietly confident, grounded in natural materials like stone and timber, and elevated by light and landscape," Trinh says.&nbsp;

"The buildings are designed to sit gently within their coastal surrounds, with expansive glazing and abundant greenery creating a seamless dialogue between inside and out."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370897]

Interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hot-black">Hot Black</a> carry the same material language through to every room. Kitchens feature integrated Gaggenau appliances, sculpted stone benchtops, and Lo &amp; Co joinery, while bathrooms feature natural stone, timber, and brushed metal finishes.&nbsp;

Hot Black Founder and Design Director Sophie Safrin describes the intent as one of considered restraint: "At Solis, every detail has been thoughtfully considered to create a timeless coastal retreat, calm, refined, and effortlessly liveable. From natural finishes to seamless indoor-outdoor flow, Solis offers a quiet elegance that's deeply connected to its surroundings.

The landscape, designed by Julian Brady of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/sitedesignstudios">Site Design Studios</a>, treats green space as an integral part of the resident experience rather than an afterthought.&nbsp;

"Gentle curves and layered native plantings mirror the ebb and flow of the ocean," Julian Brady says, "creating a serene connection between architecture and place."&nbsp;

Coco Republic has provided bespoke furniture packages tailored to the project's coastal palette.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370899]

Skymark has an established track record in the Sutherland Shire, with a portfolio spanning Cronulla, Woolooware and Burraneer that includes Isla, Sylva, Bask, Shells, Sula and Mist. Securing LDI on Solis reflects a broader shift in how the developer is positioning its buildings to buyers, at a time when Resilience Insurance expects the policy to become mandatory in New South Wales by 2028.

Sales at Solis are launching soon through Ray White Projects, with an official event scheduled for 11 June. Enquire for more information.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150499]

Skymark takes out 10-year Resilience Insurance LDI at Solis Cronulla

Australian Super

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The nation’s largest super fund, the $140 billion AustralianSuper, has unveiled a contingency plan warning members it will freeze property funds for up to two years in the event of a crisis.
AustralianSuper will also prevent members from investing more than 70% of their savings in its property portfolio option, to which investors have flocked in recent years chasing high returns.
The fund has changed its rules, giving it the right to freeze any attempts at withdrawing savings from the $1.7 billion property ­option, prohibit the switching of funds out of the option, and stopping any new contributions into the option for a period of up to two years “in exceptional circumstances in response to a market stress event”.
The Australian reported the "surprise policy changes", which take effect from November 19, rank as the first sizeable industry fund to make the change.
It noted UK market panic triggered by the Brexit vote in 2016 saw a financial volatility, where UK property funds, such as those run by Aberdeen Asset Management, Aviva Investors and Standard Life Investments, were unable to sell the underlying commercial property assets quickly enough to meet demand for investors pulling their funds.
Then, when the funds were unfrozen, property values had fallen to such an extent that investor savings were in jeopardy.
AustralianSuper group executive Paul Schroder said the changes were being made to “manage risk and protect all members’ interests” after consulting members.
“This is a prudent step designed to ensure all members can continue to exercise investment choice over the long term and in all market conditions,” Schroder said.
“The fund is committed to the property option but these changes were necessary to ensure other members are not disadvantaged in the event of a significant ­property market correction in the future.”
AustralianSuper surveyed more than 1000 members who were invested in property about the types of rules they would be most willing to accept.
“Direct property assets can’t be easily bought and sold at short notice,” AustralianSuper told its members in policy update,” Schroder said. 
“If the market experiences a stress event which causes lots of investors to sell property assets at the same time, or makes it more difficult for investors to finance transactions, we may not be able to find willing buyers at reasonable prices.
“Having the ability to freeze the option provides a safeguard by allowing some time for the market to recover before selling property assets.”
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Property fund freezes part of AustralianSuper's crisis contingency plans

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APRA's MySuper heat map, released yesterday, has highlighted the best and worst super funds. People with less than $10,000 in their superannuation accounts are losing as much as 4.4 percent of their savings to annual fees charged by fund administrators, new data from the prudential regulator shows.
<a href="https://www.apra.gov.au/mysuper-product-heatmap" target="_blank">The heat map</a> also shows the large lead the large industry super funds have over their retail counterparts when it comes to outcomes.
AMIST, Energy Super, First State Super, HESTA, Media Super, MTAA Super, Super, Sunsuper, Equipsuper, UniSuper, Cbus and Vision Super were given strong ratings across all rating categories.
But the nation's largest fund, the $167 billion AustralianSuper copped a red mark, given its administration fees it charges to members with account balances of $10,000 or less.
Well ranked corporate superannuation products included Brookfield Australia MySuper, Macquarie Group MySuper and Woolworths Group MySuper.
The benchmarks judged investment performance, fees and costs and the sustainability of member outcomes.
The heatmap - which is colour coded so that red denotes lower performance and higher fees - provides an assessment of MySuper products, which are meant to be low cost and simple superannuation options.
Among the worst performers were BEST Superannuation at 3.79 per cent, First Super at 1.78 per cent, the Pitcher Retirement Plan at 1.73 per cent, IAG and NRMA at 1.59 per cent and the AMP Retirement Trust at 1.54 per cent.
Among the worst performers on five-year net investment returns per annum, were Pitcher Retirement at 5.85 per cent, Energy Industries Super with 6.19 per cent and Maritime Super at 6.23 per cent.
Two products offered by Mine Super, a fund run for miners by unions and employers, were among the worst performance.
The Financial Services Council warned that the MySuper heatmap should not be used to rank superannuation products.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

The best and worst super funds: APRA

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EXPERT OBSERVATION
The Grattan Institute has been caught out contradicting itself in its attempts to undermine the super guarantee.
Despite releasing research only a few weeks ago that claimed increasing the super guarantee to 12 per cent would not ease the burden on the age pension, today they are claiming that an increase will leave workers poorer, because it will reduce the amount they are entitled to through the pension.
Both can’t be true. Not only does one completely contradict the other and make a mockery of the claims, the modelling Grattan relies on to peddle these myths is deeply flawed.
Under their modelling, the effect of the superannuation guarantee on wages, pension indexation and taxation is incredibly overstated, and assumes women, low-income and self-employed workers don’t exist.
They double count salary sacrifice contributions, and overestimate voluntary contributions and the amount of age pension paid.
In short, they are wrong. Industry Super Australia analysis conducted by former senior Treasury official Phil Gallagher found the Grattan Institute’s modelling:
Overestimates the effect of a super guarantee increase on wages, pension indexation and taxation:
1. The Grattan analysis ignores the fact that only 57 per cent of people with employer contributions are likely to receive an increase in superannuation. A significant number of workers either receive contributions higher than 11 per cent, or lower than 7 per cent, meaning an increase from 9.5 per cent to 12 per cent will not affect them.
2. Of 12 million employed people, only 6.1 million are likely to get a rise in super contributions. Exclusions of self-employed, public servants, academics, politicians, people under 18, employees earning under $450 per month and people over 74 impact the population.  It also assumes the Government has taken action on unpaid super when it hasn’t.
Overstates the amount of age pension paid and average life expectancy:
3. The Grattan analysis only includes the single rate pension which is 25 per cent more than a married rate pension for one partner.  Since the majority of pensioners are married, this produces a massive uplift in pension paid and a false conclusion that retirement incomes are more than adequate.
4. Grattan assumes that everyone lives until they are 92, getting far more pension than occurs if there is a distribution of life expectancy.
Overestimates superannuation contributions:
5. The Grattan analysis assumes continuous careers from age 30 to age 67, ignoring the fact that people take time out of the workforce for a range of reasons, most notably for parental leave.
6. There are no women in the model and no-one becomes self-employed in the model. 
7. Grattan double count salary sacrifice contributions and do not represent underpayment of super which affects 30 per cent of employees.
The Grattan Institute had been caught out contradicting itself, making its argument obsolete.
One week they’re claiming an increase in super won’t reduce the age pension, the next they claim people will be worse off because they will miss out on the age pension if they retire with more money.
Both can’t be true. This proves their analysis simply doesn’t stack up. Despite this, they continue to use deeply flawed modelling to peddle incorrect and misleading claims about the superannuation guarantee.
Any attempt to wind back the proposed super increase or freeze it altogether would not only affect Australians’ quality of life at retirement, it would increase the burden of the age pension on the budget.
MATTHEW LINDEN is the Acting Chief Executive of Industry Super Australia
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Grattan Institute contradicts itself on super claims: Industry Super Australia's Matthew Linden

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A former AustralianSuper executive has accused the country's largest superannuation fund of pressuring him to direct investment into a union-linked property trust despite conflicts of interest.
The fund's former head of property Jack McGougan made the accusations in Federal Court action launched against AustralianSuper this week.
His lawyers are seeking damages of $2.17 million, based on $544,000 annual salary for his four years through to his intended retirement, as well as missed bonuses of 80 per cent of his salary and compensation for humiliation, pain and suffering. 
An AustralianSuper spokesman said in a statement to the Australian Financial Review that it denies the McGougan allegations, adding "AustralianSuper always invests in members' best interests".
It comes as the royal commission will shortly looks at super fund governance.
More than 30 super fund directors have been told that they must appear before the commission which will look at related-party dealings.
The two-week block of hearings on super funds in August comes after earlier sessions on consumer lending, financial advice, small business loans, farm finance and dealings with indigenous communities.
McGougan claims he was forced out of his job for opposing moves by chief investment officer Mark Delaney and director Brian Daley to invest in industry-fund controlled developer ISPT.
McGougan says that from 2012, that Delaney, the fund's deputy chief executive, and Daley, the AustralianSuper director and the capital stewardship officer for the Australian Council of Trade Unions, "pressured" him to invest in ISPT.
ISPT is an unlisted property fund and developer set up in 1994 by former ACTU assistant secretary Garry Weaven.
It was co-founded by AustralianSuper.
Its board includes current and former Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy officials.
It is alleged despite an alleged "standing conflict of interest declaration", neither Delany nor Daley absented themselves from AustralianSuper's investment committee decisions involving ISPT, according to court documents.
After McGougan raised concerns over governance issues at the investment committee, Delaney allegedly accused him of not being a "team player".
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AustralianSuper faces claims of conflict of interest following investments in union-linked property trusts 

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Superannuation funds posted double-digit gains in 2017 for the first time in five years, outperforming property returns.
But despite the residential market cooling expected to continue, experts in the Australian Financial Review have warned that the stellar super performance is unlikely to be repeated in 2018.
The average balanced super fund recorded a rise of 10.5 per cent in the 12 months to December, comfortably above the 9.1 per cent total average return from property across Australian capital cities.
The last time super funds had double-digit returns was in 2013, when the average balanced fund gained 16.3 per cent, data from research house SuperRatings shows.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/1/8/super2.jpg" alt="">
"It would be a huge mistake for people to believe these returns are sustainable. They are not sustainable," said Martin Fahy, chief executive of the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia.
</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-paras section">
Fahy said the slowdown in property prices, which he attributed in part to tougher lending rules imposed on the banks by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, was evidence that asset classes could not outperform indefinitely.
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"The market reverts to the mean. Long-term outperformance is very difficult to achieve," he said.
CoreLogic data suggests the only property markets to outperform super were those in Melbourne and Hobart, while Canberra was in line with the average super fund return.
The total return includes house-price inflation plus the rental yield.
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<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/1/8/2017%20prices.jpg" alt="">
SuperRatings chief executive Kirby Rapell noted that the 10.5 per cent estimated super fund return for 2017 was well above the 5.6 per cent average annual return over the past decade, although the long-term performance was marred by the global financial crisis, which pummeled shares in 2008.
"Longer-term returns continue to sit close to funds' targets, with the seven-year return reaching a very healthy 8.4 per cent per annum," Mr Rapell said.
The average balanced fund has returned more than 120 per cent on a cumulative basis since the depths of the global financial crisis in February 2009, according to Chant West, another research firm.
The biggest contributor to last year's strong result was global equities, which rallied thanks to low interest rates, the expectation of tax cuts in the US and a global economic recovery. On a hedged basis, international shares surged more than 18 per cent, and on an unhedged basis more than 16 per cent.
Australian shares added more than 10 per cent and unlisted infrastructure and property are both expected to have returned at least 8 per cent, according to Chant West.
Debbie Alliston, head of multi-asset portfolio management at AMP Capital, said 2018 was likely to be more challenging, particularly towards the second half of the year.
"The tailwind that has supported yield-type assets is likely to become a headwind," she told Fairfax Media.
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Super returns in 2017 outperformed property

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Australia’s superannuation funds are on track to deliver double-digit returns for the 2017 calendar year, with share market gains through December for investors. 
According to SuperRatings, the SR Balanced (60-76) Index, used to measure balanced super fund returns, recorded a 1.3% rise in November, bringing the interim calendar year-to-date return to 9.9%. 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/12/15/super.jpg" alt="" style="font-size: 12.16px;">
SuperRatings CEO Kirby Rappell said that in a year dominated by political uncertainty, nothing managed to deter the global rally we’ve seen since the start of the year. 
“Australia’s super funds are on track to deliver double-digit gains, providing there is no late sell-off before Christmas.” 
“Despite the mining boom fading from view, resources shares have delivered through 2017 and helped shield investors from an otherwise lacklustre year for earnings. Despite the benefits of a strengthening Australian dollar for imports, especially in the first half of the year, this will have detracted from returns, but investors have still enjoyed some remarkable gains from the US market, which pushed to record highs late this year.” 
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

Australia’s super funds on track to deliver double digit returns

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Concerns about returns from Australia's burgeoning rent-to-build sector have been put forward by the fund manager of the $120 billion AustralianSuper’s property division, according to reports in The Australian.
The Australian said the superannuation firm had some doubts about the potential performance of the assets.
AustralianSuper senior investment manager for property Christine Phillips was reported as saying demand for build-to-rent properties in Australia was clear, and their supply was under consideration by large developers, such as Lendlease and Mirvac, but returns were in question.
“I don’t dispute the demand side of it. I think that there is definitely a market for institutional owned rental — professionally run rental accommodation that treats its tenants with respect,” she said.
“They’re able to not take the development profit, they’ve probably got land that’s sitting there at a cost that makes the numbers stack up better, they’ve got the end operation that can operate it once it’s up.
“The question for everyone is what return do we need to invest in Australia, and that’s proving difficult.”
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