In a year shaped by global uncertainty, AustralianSuper remained focused on delivering value for members. We continued to enhance our services, strengthen digital tools and security, and support members through every stage of their retirement journey. As we mark 40 years since the Fund’s beginnings, our commitment to putting members first remains as strong as ever.
End of financial year Chief Executive Update
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Show transcript
Hello, I’m Paul Schroder, Chief Executive of AustralianSuper.
This year marks a significant milestone – 40 years since your fund began in 1985.
It’s a terrific moment to reflect on our heritage as one of Australia’s oldest, and now its largest, super fund, with one enduring focus: to put members first – you first – always.
As a profit-to-member fund, everything we do is for you – to help you achieve your best financial position in retirement.
Despite a turbulent year for the global economy and investment markets, AustralianSuper delivered positive investment returns for the financial year ending 30 June 2025.
The Balanced option – where most members invest – returned 9 and a half per cent this year.
Over the past decade, it’s delivered an average annual return of just under 8% per annum.
For Choice Income pension members, the Balanced option returned over 10 per cent this year, with a 10-year average annual return of over 8 and a half per cent.
Last year’s results were driven by growth in shares, as well as in unlisted assets like infrastructure, private credit, as well as fixed interest. While markets responded to global elections and other geopolitical events, performance remained resilient, and inflation moderated.
For most, super is a long-term investment – often spanning 50 years or more – and our experienced investment team remains focused on delivering strong long-term returns throughout all market cycles.
At AustralianSuper, we’re committed to making every interaction with the Fund simple and easy. We know great service helps you get the most from your super.
With 3.5 million members today – and five million expected within the next decade – we’ve invested more than $200 million this financial year to transform how we support you, and this is only the beginning.
Our new Bereavement Centre is providing families who make a claim with greater care and faster outcomes. And complaint volumes handled by our new in-house team have reduced significantly.
We’ve expanded our mobile app, online tools, and education services – making it easier to get guidance and access information wherever you are.
We’ve further strengthened member data security, building on the cybersecurity measures we already have in place and expanding multi-factor authentication to account logins.
Every dollar we invest in service is designed to work hard for you – delivering better value and experience while keeping administration fees low.
Looking ahead, we’re leveraging the Fund’s size, global scale, and expertise to drive positive change for members and the broader super system.
Our 2035 Strategy is focused on providing every member with quality guidance, service and value, advocating for a stronger super system, and delivering market-leading net investment performance to help you live well in retirement.
Everyone’s retirement journey is unique.
Whatever your path, we’re here to support you – today, tomorrow, and for the long term.
Thank you for trusting AustralianSuper with your retirement savings.
Celebrating 40 years of putting members first
This year marks a milestone for your Fund – 40 years since your fund began in 1985. From our origins as one of the first industry super funds to becoming Australia’s largest fund1, our purpose has remained consistent: to help members achieve their best financial position in retirement.
Strong returns in a challenging year
Despite a year of global uncertainty, AustralianSuper delivered positive investment returns for members. The Balanced option – where most members invest – returned 9.52% for the year to 30 June 2025. For Choice Income pension members, the Balanced option returned 10.41%.
Over the past decade to 30 June 2025, the Balanced option for super members has delivered an average annual return of 7.94% and for pension members an average annual return of 8.62%, demonstrating the strength of our long-term investment approach. For a member who has been with the Fund since the beginning in August 1985, a balance of $10k back then will have grown over 40 years to over $340k at 30 June 2025, with no additional contributions2.
Net benefit is the number that really matters when it comes to assessing how your fund is performing. In relation to your super, net benefit is the investment return delivered to you by your super fund minus the administration and investment fees and costs, transaction costs and taxes.
Super is a long-term investment
For most, super is a long-term investment – often spanning 50 years or more. Our experienced investment team continues to manage your money with discipline and care through all market cycles.
Learn more about our investment performanceInvesting in better service
With 3.5 million members today – and five million expected within the decade – we’ve invested more than $200 million during the year to transform how we support you, including:
- Launching a new Bereavement Centre to better support members’ families navigate the death claims process with care and faster outcomes.
- Establishing an in-house Member Resolution Centre, dedicated to ensuring that members receive the right outcome based on their individual needs and circumstance.
- Expanding our mobile app and online tools, helping more members manage their super on the go.
- Strengthening cybersecurity and rolling out additional multi-factor authentication.
- Improving the insurance claims process by enabling members to lodge and track their claims online.
- Investing in our technology, data, and teams to enhance the experience for members, enable us to support growth beyond 2035, and stay agile as members’ needs evolve.
Every dollar we invest in service is designed to deliver better outcomes while keeping your administration fees low3.
Looking ahead: our 2035 Strategy
As the super system matures, we’re focused on the future. Our 2035 Strategy sets a clear direction for the decade ahead, built on five pillars:
- Market-leading net performance
- Personalised guidance at scale
- Trustworthy financial institution
- Value at a competitive cost
- Talent and culture.
We’re leveraging our size and global scale to help deliver strong returns, great service, and positive impact for members and the broader economy.
A system that works for all Australians
Australia’s super system is a global benchmark – and AustralianSuper remains committed to helping strengthen it for the benefit of all Australians. We continue to advocate for a more inclusive and equitable system, with a focus on improving outcomes for low-income earners, women, younger workers, First Nations Australians, and those in non-traditional work. We’re also championing reforms to simplify the retirement income system and better integrate super with the Age Pension.
Learn more about our policy and advocacyThank you
From humble beginnings to a fund managing the retirement savings of one in seven working Australians4, our story is your story. Whether you’re just starting out or planning your retirement, we’re here to support you – today, tomorrow, and for the long term.
Investment returns aren’t guaranteed. Past performance isn’t a reliable indicator of future returns.
- APRA Quarterly Superannuation Fund Level Statistics March 2025, Released 26 June 2025
- AustralianSuper investment returns are based on crediting rates, which are returns less investment fees and costs, transaction costs, the percentage-based administration fee deducted from returns from 1 April 2020 to 2 September 2022 and taxes. Returns don’t include all administration, insurance and other fees and costs that are deducted from account balances. Investment returns aren’t guaranteed. Past performance isn’t a reliable indicator of future returns. Returns from equivalent options of the ARF and STA super funds are used in calculating returns for periods that begin before 1 July 2006. Inception date is 1 August 1985.
- Source: Zenith CW Pty Ltd (Chant West) (ABN 20 639 121 403). Chant West Super Fund Fee Survey December 2024. Survey compares administration fees and costs for MySuper products for a $50,000 balance. AustralianSuper’s MySuper product is the Balanced option. Other fees and costs apply. Fees may change in the future which may affect the outcome of this comparison.
- Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (Labour force) and AustralianSuper Member Data, December 2024.
