Are you a member of AustralianSuper? 

Partner organisation, Market Forces, has made it easy for you to challenge their massive re-investment in Whitehaven Coal.

With corporate sensitivity to protecting their brand, it's often quite fruitful to make your concerns known directly to a company. It's even more fruitful if you are a member or shareholder.

AustralianSuper is the largest super fund in Australia, managing $367 billion in retirement savings on behalf of more than 3.5 million members. Unfortunately, AustralianSuper is now the second-largest shareholder in Whitehaven Coal, which has the biggest coal expansion plans of any coal company operating in Australia.

AustralianSuper had previously divested from Whitehaven on climate grounds, but recently invested more than $300 million of its members’ retirement savings in the pure coal company. By the end of July, 2025, AustralianSuper has acquired more than 60 million shares.

Please AustralianSuper members: Demand answers from your fund.

Climate science and energy experts are clear: there can be no new coal mines or mine expansions – thermal or metallurgical – if we are to have a shot at meeting the climate goals of the Paris Agreement.

AustralianSuper’s massively increased stake in Whitehaven is at odds with the fund’s stated support for the Paris climate goals, raising concerns about greenwashing. Worse still, a large investor like AustralianSuper buying up such a big stake in Whitehaven could actually make it easier for the company to pursue its highly-polluting coal expansion plans!

Unless AustralianSuper is using its near 10% stake in Whitehaven to demand an end to the company’s polluting coal expansion plans, there can be no justification for such a massive backflip on one of Australia’s worst climate wreckers.

posted by Thea Ormerod, 29 July 2025