Westpac's geared investment product, Protected Equity Loans (PEL) has doubled its growth in 12 months on the back of the Government's superannuation changes and greater investor awareness of geared shares.  

In the last 12 months there has been a 197 per cent increase in loans worth $50,000 to $100,000 and a 180 per cent increase in loans worth $1 million to $1.5 million.

"Our education to financial planners about gearing into shares has helped drive the growth of these products," Westpac head of sales, equity derivatives Suzanne Salter said.

"We have focused on the tax advantage of such products and that PEL invests in a solid asset like shares."

The Government's changes to superannuation have also created a window of opportunity in the property market, Salter said. 

"Financial planners have been selling property on behalf of their clients, allowing them to pay the one-off tax contribution of $1 million into superannuation," Salter said.

"It's really not that hard to get to a million if you sell a few houses. Investors can realise the capital gain they have made on the sale of these properties by investing in a PEL."

In April, Perpetual launched two geared investment products to take advantage of the Government's superannuation rules. At the same time Colonial First State launched an education package that allows its advisers to create strategies for their clients in gearing investments that would also take advantage of these new rules.