Daryl Dixon

For the fictional character, Darl Dixon, see The Walking Dead (TV series).

Daryl Dixon (born 26 June 1942) is an Australian economic and investment writer and consultant. He is well known and respected in Australia as an authority on superannuation in all its aspects. Presently the Executive Chairman of Dixon Advisory and Superannuation Services, he writes regular columns on personal investing, economic commentary and self managed superannuation in the Canberra Times, Australian Financial Review, Investor and Smart Investor.

Born in Bundaberg, Queensland, he attended Bundaberg State High School. After graduating in Economics from Queensland University, Daryl studied at Cambridge University on a Shell Postgraduate Scholarship gaining a further degree with First Class Honours. Following this he spent the next two years as Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Calgary, Canada. He then returned to Australia to lecture in Economics at the Australian National University (ANU).

After being seconded from the ANU to the Federal Treasury for six months, he left Canberra to work at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington DC for three years, with economic “missions” in the field of taxation to Thailand, Kenya, Barbados and Swaziland all resulting in detailed reports.^[1]

After Daryl’s return to Canberra as a consultant to Treasury working on a Taxation Review, various public service positions in taxation and public finance followed. Key roles included Research Director of the Committee of Inquiry into Inflation and Taxation (chaired by Professor Russell Mathews)^[2] and assisting Professor Trevor Swan with the Review of the personal income tax system for the 1975-76 Hayden Budget.

The most challenging and engaging part of his public service career began in 1978 as Policy Co-ordinator for the Social Welfare Policy Secretariat and continued as Head of this Policy Co-Ordination Unit until 1986. In this role he developed his knowledge of the interrelated areas of social welfare policy including retirement income of all types. During this time he and in association with members of the Unit published and presented many significant policy papers and reports.^[3]

In 1986 Daryl Dixon left public service to begin his career as an independent writer and consultant. He produced significant reports for government and independent bodies such as the still relevant report for the Australian Commission for the Future comparing the savings policies of Australia and Singapore. The report highlights the successful scheme which allows Singaporeans to borrow funds from their Central Provident Fund (superannuation) account for use as a deposit in Public Housing projects resulting in an increase in the home ownership rate.^[4]

Daryl also continued with his work as a consultant to the Social Welfare Policy branch of the Brotherhood of St Laurence producing significant published discussion papers including The way ahead in fiscal policy.^[5]

In 1986, Dixon began writing the many newspaper articles and published books on personal investment, taxation and superannuation for which he became widely known in Australia.^[6] Since high school, personal investing had been a particular interest and hobby.

1986 also saw him start his own business, Daryl Dixon Writer and Consultant (now Dixon Advisory) because clients wanted to seek his personal advice based on his unique combination of knowledge of taxation, superannuation, welfare policy and investment. A few years ago there was a playful reference in The Australian newspaper to his understanding of superannuation in Australia which claimed that there were only three people who really understood super in Australia – “one is dead, one went mad and the other is Daryl Dixon”.

As Executive Chairman of Dixon Advisory based in Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne, Daryl continues to be closely involved in all aspects of the firm. The firm now has over 270 staff and the management of the firm includes his son, Alan Dixon, who is group Managing Director. The firm’s objective is to provide a wide range of services to clients always based on Daryl’s original approach including his early recognition that self managed superannuation is a valuable strategy for many and his unique understanding of the complexities of superannuation in the public sector.

Under Daryl's guidance, Dixon Advisory has become one of the largest administrators of self managed super funds (SMSFs) in Australia with 4,000 SMSFs under administration and $4 billion of assets in those funds.

Daryl is a director of the Responsible Entity of US Masters Residential Property Fund ($69.5m in assets), a director of the Australian Masters Yield Fund Series (2 companies with $133m in assets) and a director of the Australian Masters Corporate Bond Fund Series (5 companies with $169m in assets). (All asset values are as at 30 June 2011.) Daryl has been a Director of HCF Life Limited since 1989.

Daryl Dixon continues to write for the Australian press on economic, superannuation and investment issues. He also appears regularly on ABC Radio's 'NightLife' program with Tony Delroy where he discusses current superanuation and retirement matters with Tony and answers audience questions.

1. ^ Report on Taxation in Swaziland (with Dr Harold C. Wilkenfeld; submitted to the Government of the Kingdom of Swaziland, 8 March 1973)
2. ^ May 1975 Report of the Mathews Committee on Inflation and Taxation
3. ^ such as Alternative strategies to meet the income needs of the aged, Social Welfare Policy Secretariat AGPS 1982 and (with Chris Foster and Phil Gallagher) Tax credits and reform of the tax and social security systems Australian Tax Research Foundation, 1985.
4. ^ Saving for the future: a comparative study of "savings policies" in Singapore and Australia (with Georgina Carnegie), Australian Commission for the Future Ltd, 1991.
5. ^ Unemployment: the economic and social costs1988 &1992 and with the Brotherhood of St Laurence and the Public Sector Management Institute, Mondash University, The way ahead in fiscal policy, 1991 and Superannuation: the costs and benefits, 1993.
6. ^ Articles published in The National Times, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, Canberra Times, The Age and many others. Books, see Book List.

Selected Book List

Super Strategies for the 21st Century 2000 Daryl Dixon’s do it yourself tax & investment strategies several editions to 1995 Daryl Dixon’s new super strategies 1994 (with George Flack) How to retire and live well 1994 Superannuation: the costs and benefits 1993 The way ahead in fiscal policy 1991 Look before you leap: an independent guide to the new Commonwealth Super Scheme 1990 Gaining most advantage from your remuneration package: Daryl Dixon’s Guide 1990 Daryl Dixon’s Money Book 1990

External links

Official website - Dixon Advisory

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Name	Dixon, Daryl
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Date of birth	1946
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