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Overview
The Martin Currie Australia Real Income strategy has been specifically designed for investors looking for a high, stable and growing income stream, with lower volatility than the broader equity market.
The strategy invests in a diversified portfolio of quality listed Real Asset securities including REITs, infrastructure and utilities, from Australia and other developed market countries.
Our approach is premised on the philosophy that the performance of Real Assets is driven by their unique leverage to the key demographic themes of population and urbanisation growth.
Our key thesis is that as urban population grows, so too will demand for Real Assets to service everyday needs. With a growing demand, coupled with the nondiscretionary nature of the services provided, Real Assets often have strong pricing power, proven cash flows, and the ability to grow income distributions regardless of the economic cycle. Given these attractive characteristics, real assets are generally less volatile than the wider equity market or sector-specific strategies and have a lower correlation with the returns of other asset classes.
While the global megatrend of urban population growth is enduring and is expected to hold well into the future, not all countries and cities are growing, and some are in fact going backwards. Our approach is to invest where Real Asset demand growth is underpinned by a naturally growing customer base, avoiding low growth regions like Japan where population declines become an investment headwind. As such we focus on select target countries, regions and cities in Australia and other global developed markets with the most attractive demographic growth.
Key Information
The strategy aims to provide a pre-tax yield above the S&P/ASX 200 Index and provide income stream growth above inflation.
Portfolio characteristics | Australia Real Income |
---|---|
Objective | Income |
Asset Class | Listed Real Assets |
Style | Income |
Investable Universe | Australian and global developed market listed Real Asset securities |
Benchmark | No formal benchmark |
Market capitalisation | All cap |
Regional limit | Up to 20% in non-ASX securities from global developed markets |
Sector limit | None |
Security limit | Absolute 9% |
Number of stocks | Typically 35 |
Portfolio turnover | Typically 25% p.a. |
Forecast tracking error | We do not target tracking error but total risk outcome is typically 90% of the market. |
Inception | 17 November 2010 |
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"As urban populations grow, the demand for the essential services that listed Real Assets provide rises, and helps to grow dividends irrespective of the business cycle."
Why Invest in Australia Real Income
High, stable and growing income stream
We have put the income needs of clients at the heart of the product design for the Martin Currie Australia Real Income strategy.
Income from Real Assets that can grow with urbanisation
As tangible every day-use building blocks of the economy, Real Assets are driven by demographic themes rather than the business or economic cycle. As urban populations grow, the demand for Real Assets increase, helping to grow dividends.
Investments that are highly exposed to key demographic themes
By focusing on high growth target cities and regions within Australia + global, investments into Real Assets tap into future defining, mega trends.
Investment Strategy
The strategy aims to deliver an attractive and growing income stream through:
- Unique blend of listed Real Assets driven by long-term demographic themes - REITs, utilities and infrastructure are the essential building blocks for a growing urban population’s every-day needs.
- Income-focused return profile - Unique investment approach aligns stock selection and portfolio construction with need to reduce income shock and grow income with inflation.
- Benchmark unaware portfolio construction - Low security concentrations to provide income diversification so no single stock dominates.
- Proven investment process with fundamental active ownership - Proprietary multi-lensed investment approach with purposeful engagement with companies and client advocacy through proxy voting.
- Experienced stock pickers with long term track record - Deep industry experience generating ‘active insights’.
Read more about how the Martin Currie Australia Real Income strategy seeks to capture income-focused returns from the upside of urban population growth in the Strategy Guide.

Investment Strategy
The strategy aims to deliver an attractive and growing income stream through:
- Unique blend of listed Real Assets driven by long-term demographic themes - REITs, utilities and infrastructure are the essential building blocks for a growing urban population’s every-day needs.
- Income-focused return profile - Unique investment approach aligns stock selection and portfolio construction with need to reduce income shock and grow income with inflation.
- Benchmark unaware portfolio construction - Low security concentrations to provide income diversification so no single stock dominates.
- Proven investment process with fundamental active ownership - Proprietary multi-lensed investment approach with purposeful engagement with companies and client advocacy through proxy voting.
- Experienced stock pickers with long term track record - Deep industry experience generating ‘active insights’.

Investment team
Martin Currie’s suite of Real Income strategies are managed by the experienced Martin Currie Australia Real Asset team.
The strategy benefits from the close collaboration and deep industry expertise of wider Martin Currie Australia investment team and the broader Martin Currie global investment floor.

Andrew Chambers
- Job title
- Portfolio Manager, Real Assets
- Experience
- 28 years

Daniel Fitzgerald
- Job title
- Portfolio Manager, Real Assets
- Experience
- 22 years

Ashton Reid
- Job title
- Portfolio Manager, Real Assets
- Experience
- 31 years
HOW TO INVEST
Available Funds
We offer access to the strategy via segregated accounts and separately managed accounts.
Through our parent company, Franklin Templeton, investors are offered access to the below funds.
Contact Us
Please visit our contact page or speak to a member of our sales team, to discuss the most appropriate investment to meet your requirements and for more information on our investment capabilities.
Ross Kent
Investment Client Portfolio Manager
T: +61 (0)3 9017 8629
M: +61 (0)455 253 384
E: rkent@martincurrie.com.au
Felicity Walsh
Managing Director, Australia and New Zealand
M: +61 (0) 429 209 566
E: Felicity.Walsh@franklintempleton.com
Our Capabilities
Please visit our contact page or speak to a member of our sales team, to discuss the most appropriate investment to meet your requirements and for more information on our investment capabilities.
Ross Kent
Investment Client Portfolio Manager
T: +61 (0)3 9017 8629
M: +61 (0)455 253 384
E: rkent@martincurrie.com.au
Felicity Walsh
Managing Director, Australia and New Zealand
M: +61 (0) 429 209 566
E: Felicity.Walsh@franklintempleton.com
Contact Us
Please visit our contact page or speak to a member of our sales team, to discuss the most appropriate investment to meet your requirements and for more information on our investment capabilities.
Mel Bucher
Head of Global Distribution
T: +44 (0) 131 479 4748
M: +44 (0) 758 414 7720
E: mbucher@martincurrie.com
Danni Yang, CFA®
Investment Client Portfolio Manger, Global Long-Term Unconstrained
M: +44 (0) 7826548065
E: dyang@martincurrie.com
Contact Us
Please visit our contact page or speak to a member of our sales team, to discuss the most appropriate investment to meet your requirements and for more information on our investment capabilities.
Mel Bucher
Head of Global Distribution
T: +44 (0) 131 479 4748
M: +44 (0) 758 414 7720
E: mbucher@martincurrie.com
Contact Us
Please visit our contact page or speak to a member of our sales team, to discuss the most appropriate investment to meet your requirements and for more information on our investment capabilities.
Mel Bucher
Head of Global Distribution
T: +44 (0) 131 479 4748
M: +44 (0) 758 414 7720
E: mbucher@martincurrie.com
Tim Baker, CFA®
Associate Client Portfolio Manager
M: +44 (0) 7795238754
E: tbaker@martincurrie.com
Our Capabilities
Please visit our contact page or speak to a member of our sales team, to discuss the most appropriate investment to meet your requirements and for more information on our investment capabilities.
Mark Cho, CFA®
Head of Americas Distribution
Intermediary Sales/Wealth Management
T: +1 212 632 3292
E: mcho@martincurrie.com
Breanna Ellsworth, CFA®
Client Portfolio Manager, Distribution - US
T: +1 212 632 3293
E: bellsworth@martincurrie.com
Drew Comatos
Client Portfolio Manager, North America
Intermediary Sales/Wealth Management
T: +1 203 703 6472
E: dcomatos@martincurrie.com
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