UniSuper members ‘divest from death’ on Palestine Land Day 

UniSuper members started a campaign mass purge campaign He opposed the fund, citing investments in arms companies and organizations complicit in Israel’s ongoing genocide and occupation. Stephanie Tran reports.

UniSuperIt is the industry super fund for workers in Australia’s higher education and research sector, managing approximately $166 billion on behalf of more than 680,000 members. ‘Escape from DeathThe campaign is being run by a group campaigning against UniSuper’s reluctance to break away from arms manufacturers and other companies involved in genocide, war crimes, occupation and apartheid in Palestine.

As of June 2025, the fund has over $771 million invested in companies mentioned in the compiled databases. UN Human Rights Office And American Friends Service CommitteePursuing businesses complicit in the illegal occupation of Palestinian land and the genocide in Gaza.

Analysis of portfolio data shows that UniSuper has significantly expanded these investments in recent years. His stake in Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest arms manufacturer, has more than tripled in the last two years based on the number of shares he owns.

The fund also has hundreds of millions of dollars invested in companies involved in weapons production, including Lockheed Martin and Boeing, and smaller holdings in Israeli financial institutions linked to settlement activities.

Other super funds, including HESTA and Vision Super, spun off from these companies last year.

Australian super funds enter showdown over Israeli war crimes investments as member meetings approach

A. report by Australian Institute has previously described UniSuper as one of only four major pension funds not to exclude controversial weapons, including nuclear weapons, from their investment screens.

Palestine Land Day

March 30 was celebrated Palestine Land Day Since 1976, when six Palestinian citizens were killed by Israeli police during protests against the expropriation of thousands of acres of land in the Galilee.

Alison Gibberd, one of the campaign organizers, said members had been expressing concerns about the fund for several years through petitions, direct correspondence and questions at annual meetings.

Over the past two years, UniSuper has increased its investments in weapons and companies involved in the occupation of the West Bank.

“A large number of members are unhappy with these investments; hundreds of members have petitioned and written to them over the last few years, and the union has passed member-led pro-BDS motions both nationally and locally,” Gibberd said.

“Despite this there appears to be no change in UniSuper’s policy and they state that they are not an ‘activist’ fund. Their refusal to take action shows why members have left for more ethical funding in the past and why one group will leave on 30 March.”

Tamara Kayali Browne, Associate Senior Research Fellow at Charles Sturt University and Palestinian activist, said the liquidation action was “driven by university staff who will not tolerate their money being invested in genocide”.

“Many of us refuse to invest our money in companies that fueled or were complicit in the Gaza genocide,” he said. “As UniSuper refuses to leave these companies, we have no choice but to leave and invest our money in more ethical pension funds.”

He said the campaign aimed to send a broader message to the pensions sector.

“It’s not possible to enjoy a blood money retirement,” Browne said. “Even if those working at UniSuper are not bothered by the fact that they are investing in a genocide, many people are happy and content to put their money elsewhere.”

UniSuper response

Inside answer to questions Speaking at its annual membership meeting last year, UniSuper said it had “small investment holdings” in companies identified in the UN database of companies involved in illegal settlements, including Elbit Systems and “a small number of Israeli banks”. It was stated that the fund does not have any assets in Israeli government bonds.

“UniSuper is satisfied that our investment assets comply with the law and our investment options comply with our investment strategies and objectives,” the fund said.

“If their investment is really small, then giving them up shouldn’t be much of a problem, and a little bit of genocide is OK,” Browne said.

UniSuper has been contacted for comment. A spokesperson for UniSuper responded:

“Our role as a super fund is to manage our members’ life savings and act in their best financial interests. “We take a risk-based approach to identify material ESG factors and integrate them into our investment decisions across our portfolios.

“As of December 31, 2025, UniSuper had small investment holdings in companies domiciled in Israel relative to the size of our Fund (according to our third-party data provider). We offer members a broad range of investment options, giving members the flexibility to choose options that suit their personal circumstances and preferences, including options that do not hold these investments.

“Members write to us on many investment-related issues. We aim to provide timely information so that our members can make an informed investment choice. Members can access our holdings through our website as well as through our website. How we invest your money Document for information about what our options invest in.

Your money, their rules. Super funds support Israeli war machine

Stephanie is a journalist with a background in both law and journalism. He worked at The Guardian and as a paralegal, where he assisted Crikey’s defense team in the high-profile libel case brought by Lachlan Murdoch. His reporting has been recognized nationally, earning him the 2021 Guardians of Democracy Award for Student Investigative Reporting and a nomination for the 2021 Walkley Student Journalist of the Year Award.