Benefits of investing in FirstChoice Wholesale Investments

FirstChoice Wholesale Investments is designed to help you achieve your investment goals and provides access to a wide range of managed funds from some of the world's most respected investment managers. FirstChoice Wholesale Investments provides you with exceptional value, service and choice.

Value

FirstChoice Wholesale Investments is a leader in providing value for money. We provide what you want - a great platform at a competitive price.

Service

Our brand is synonymous with service excellence. You will receive fast and personal service.

Choice

Over 130 investment options and over 70 investment managers give you real choice and diversity, across specialist boutiques and leading brands.

Investment options

With FirstChoice Wholesale Investments, you can access a vast range of investment opportunities from well-respected Australian and international investment managers, including specialist boutique investment managers, across different asset classes such as shares, fixed interest, property and cash, all in the one place.

More than 130 ways to achieve your specific investment goals

FirstChoice Wholesale Investments has more than 130 investment options across different asset classes and investment managers so that you can tailor an investment portfolio to meet your needs.

You can choose from:

• multi-manager portfolios which are pre-mixed for you, and/or

• single manager options allowing you to tailor-make your portfolio.

You can choose one option or a combination of different options. You can transfer your money into other options at any time.

Each investment option has a different level of risk and potential level of returns.

Personal customer service every time

We understand that our success depends on our ability to provide you with great service - every time. We have some of the most dedicated and highly trained people in the market, and we constantly aim for exceptional service.

No waiting for reports and statements

Instead of you waiting weeks for annual reports and tax statements, FirstChoice Wholesale provides you with consolidated reporting at least twice a year, which will give you a complete picture of all your investments and a summary of all your transactions.

FirstNet makes it easy

You can also access up-to-date information on your investments at any time via our secure internet site, FirstNet. FirstNet e-Post is the fast and secure way to submit original forms and requests via FirstNet, our secure online service. You no longer need to post the originals, saving you time and effort. You will receive an instant email confirmation when you submit your request and a reference number. You must only submit original forms.

Receive informative material

As an investor in FirstChoice Wholesale, you can look forward to receiving:

• iQ magazine

• regular statements

• confirmation letters.

Risk level

Low to Medium

How FirstChoice Wholesale Investments work

When you invest in FirstChoice Wholesale Investments, your money is combined with other investors' money in a managed investment scheme. Each FirstChoice Wholesale investment option is a separate managed investment scheme except for FirstRate Wholesale products, which are deposit products of the Bank. We may invest directly or indirectly in other managed investment schemes managed by us to gain exposure and administrative efficiencies.

How your account works

When you make an investment into FirstChoice Wholesale Investments, you are issued units in the investment option(s) you select.

The unit price you receive is the unit price which applies on the day we receive a transaction request, provided the request is received before 3pm, Sydney time, on any NSW business day.

The value of units fluctuates as a result of changes in the value of the underlying assets or as a result of costs reflected in the unit price (except for FirstRate Wholesale products, where the value changes as a result of the payment of interest). This means that your account balance can fluctuate on a daily basis depending on the value of the units which you hold in your account.

Depending on the investment option(s) you select, you may receive income in the form of distributions.

There may be tax consequences as a result of your investment.

Receiving income

Any income that you receive from your investment, may include income such as interest, dividends and realised capital gains.

FirstRate Wholesale products will pay interest only. The payment of interest will follow the distribution choices you make on your FirstChoice Wholesale Investments account.

Income attributed and distributions are based on the number of units you hold in a particular option, in proportion to the number of units held by all unitholders, at the distribution date. Income attributed and distributions are not pro-rated for investors who were not unitholders for the whole period. The type of income you receive depends on the asset classes in which each option invests.

How we invest your money

Investment strategy

To allocate 90% of the investments to defensive assets such as fixed interest and cash to provide the portfolio with relatively stable returns. 10% of the portfolio is allocated to growth assets, such as shares and property securities, to improve diversification and performance. In order to provide additional diversification, the portfolio is allocated across a number of leading investment managers. The portfolio aims to hedge currency risk except for the allocation to emerging market shares and part of the allocation to global shares.

Allocation

• Australian shares: 5%

• Global shares: 4%

• Global shares - hedged: 1%

• Fixed interest: 40%

• Cash and defensive alternatives: 50%