Is your super growing sufficiently to provide you with your desired retirement lifestyle? Ensuring that you have the right investment mix is fundamental to setting yourself up for success.

How it works

Select an investment mix to get the most out of your super.

My mix

There are 4 options available to choose from. They are designed to suit different time frames and objectives to help you get the best results for your super.

You can choose a single option, or select a combination of the options to make up your own personalised investment portfolio.

  • High Growth
  • Balanced Growth
  • Conservative Growth
  • Cash

If you don’t make a choice your accounts will be invested in the (default) Balanced Growth option.

If you aren’t sure which option or options will be best for you, call our Helpline on 1300 307 844 for free investment advice. Alternatively, you can access our Investment Profiler tool via your secure member portal or via the Retirement planner Calculator.

What options are available?

Division 5 (Accumulation) and Income Stream members can choose from any 1 of the 4 investment options or can invest across a mix of the options.

For other scheme members, see the table below for your investment choices:

Division
Voluntary Contributions and Rollovers
Other Accounts (including accounts linked to your defined benefits)
Division 2

Lump Sum Scheme

 Any of the 4 options or choose your own mix Cash or Balanced Growth
Division 3

Pension Scheme

 Any of the 4 options or choose your own mix Balanced Growth
Division 4

RG Scheme

 Any of the 4 options of choose your own mix Cash or Balanced Growth

 

Your options

Compare the different investment options here.

Remember that past performance does not guarantee future performance.

High Growth
Balanced Growth (default)
Conservative Growth
Cash

High Growth

Most suited to members who want higher returns in the long term and can put up with large variations in the short term. High Growth investment has the highest volatility and expected higher long term returns.

The objective is to achieve investment returns after tax and fees exceeding the increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) plus 4% pa over rolling 10-year periods. The minimum investment time frame is 10 years (or more).

The likelihood of a negative return is 4-5 years in 20. It is rated 6 out of 7 on the volatility scale.

The investment management fees you pay on this option are 0.69% (at 30 June 2023). The fees are deducted from the returns before they are credited to your account. They include JANA costs plus investment management fees. Defined benefit members incur an additional 0.07% for administration expenses.

High growth has a very aggressive investment risk profile. It is fully invested in growth assets.

PERFORMANCE SNAPSHOT (Accumulation)
9.03%
5 year average return per annum performance
11.41%
Return for the 2024 Financial Year

High Growth

Strategy Assets Allocation
Growth 		Australian Shares 35.0%
Growth 		Overseas Shares 40.0%
Growth/Defensive 		Property 10.0%
Growth/Defensive 		Alternatives 15.0%
Defensive 		Fixed Interest 0.0%
Defensive 		Cash 0%

Balanced Growth

Most suited to members who want reasonable medium term returns and can put up with large variations in the short term. Balanced Growth investment has high volatility and medium growth.

The objective is to achieve investment returns after tax and fees exceeding the Consumer Price Index (CPI) plus 3% pa over rolling 10-year periods, and to exceed the median return in the Super Ratings Survey of Balanced Options over rolling 10-year periods.

The minimum investment time frame is 10 years.

The likelihood of a negative return is 3-4 years in 20.

It is rated 5 out of 7 on the volatility scale.

The investment fees you pay for this option are 0.65% (at 30 June 2023). The fees are deducted from the returns before they are credited to your account. They include JANA costs plus investment management fees. Defined benefit members incur an additional 0.07% for administration expenses.

Balanced Growth has a moderately aggressive investment risk profile. Around 70% is invested in growth assets.

PERFORMANCE SNAPSHOT (Accumulation)
6.98%
5 year average return per annum performance
9.12%
Return for the 2024 Financial Year

Balanced Growth

Strategy Assets Allocation
Growth 		Australian Shares 23.0%
Growth 		Overseas Shares 28.0%
Growth/Defensive 		Property 10.0%
Growth/Defensive 		Alternatives 25.0%
Defensive 		Fixed Interest 8.0%
Defensive 		Cash 6.0%

Conservative Growth

Most suited to members who prefer stable but moderate returns over the short to medium term. Conservative Growth investment has low volatility and expected stable but low returns.

The objective is to achieve investment returns after tax and fees exceeding the Consumer Price Index (CPI) by 1.5% pa over rolling 10-year periods.

The likelihood of a negative return is 1 year in 20.

It is rated 3 out of 7 on the volatility scale.

The investment management fees you pay on this option are 0.54% (at 30 June 2023). The fees are deducted from the returns before they are credited to your account. They include JANA costs plus investment management fees. Defined benefit members incur an additional 0.07% for administration expenses.

The minimum investment time frame is 3 years.

Conservative Growth has a moderately conservative investment risk profile. The strategy is around 30% growth.

PERFORMANCE SNAPSHOT (Accumulation)
4.22%
5 year average return per annum performance
5.82%
Return for the 2024 Financial Year

Conservative Growth

Strategy Assets Allocation
Growth 		Australian Shares 10.0%
Growth 		Overseas Shares 12.0%
Growth/Defensive 		Property 10.0%
Growth/Defensive 		Alternatives 25.0%
Defensive 		Fixed Interest 28.0%
Defensive 		Cash 15.0%

Cash

Most suited to members seeking to minimise their investment risk over the short term. Cash investment has very low volatility and the lowest rate of growth in the long term.

The objective is to aim to meet the Bloomberg AusBond Bank Bill Index before tax and fees over rolling one-year periods.

The investment management fees you pay on this option are 0.15% (at 30 June 2023). The fees are deducted from the returns before they are credited to your account. They include JANA costs plus investment management fees. Defined benefit members incur an additional 0.07% for administration expenses.

There is no minimum investment time frame.

Cash is fully invested in short term fixed interest investments, and has a very conservative investment risk profile. It utilises a defensive strategy.

PERFORMANCE SNAPSHOT (Accumulation)
1.31%
5 year average return per annum performance
3.01%
Return for the 2024 Financial Year

Cash

Strategy Assets Allocation
Growth 		Australian Shares 0.0%
Growth 		Overseas Shares 0.0%
Growth/Defensive 		Property 0.0%
Growth/Defensive 		Alternatives 0.0%
Defensive 		Fixed Interest 0.0%
Defensive 		Cash 100.0%

Investment choice changes

Division 5 and Income Stream members can make investment choice changes online. Watch our quick video to find out how.

If you are in Lump Sum (Division 2), Pension (Division 3) or RG (Division 4) you must complete a form. To start your investment choice change, click the link below.

There are no fees to make a new investment selection.

Any change you make will take effect from the beginning of the next month, provided you return your form by 5pm on the last working day of the month.

Call 1300 307 844

For help making the right choices to grow your super.

Contact Us

My investment strategy

To choose the options in your investment mix, you should consider which strategy is best for you.

Growth
Defensive

Growth strategy

The growth strategy carries the most short-term risk but has the highest potential return. Growth assets include shares, property, alternatives and infrastructure.

It could be the most appropriate strategy if you are investing for the long-term and want to protect the buying power of your savings against inflation.

Rates of return from growth investments can be expected to vary widely in the short-term, with a significant chance of negative returns over a one-year period. For those with patience and a long-term timeframe, a growth strategy is likely to produce the best results.

Defensive strategy

The defensive strategy carries lower risk but lower stable returns. The most defensive investment is ‘cash’, where money is normally invested short-term with banks, guaranteed against loss.

Defensive investment could be the most appropriate strategy if you have short-term needs for your retirement.

The risk associated with this strategy is whether your super benefit will keep pace with inflation. This is particularly important if you have a long investment period ahead.

Investment choice changes

There are no fees to change your investment options. Accumulation Scheme and Income Stream members can make investment choice changes online through their account.

Defined Benefit members can complete the Investment Choice form below and email it to us at electricsuper@mercer.com.

Any change you make will take effect from the beginning of the next month, provided you return your form by 5pm on the last working day of the month.

What is Strategic Asset Allocation and Tactical Asset Allocation?

Your super with ElectricSuper is invested to order to maximise returns for you, while balancing the risk of investment. This is done by investing in different types of investments, in line with a strategic plan set by the Board, known as the Strategic Asset Allocation (or “SAA”).

The SAA specifies the percentage that will be invested into each type of investment class (such as shares, cash, property, etc) in order to achieve the investment option objectives.

ElectricSuper’s High Growth and Conservative Growth options are invested according to the SAA.

The Balanced Growth option is also invested in line with the SAA. However, ElectricSuper’s Investment Committee has delegation to act within a specified range beyond the SAA. This delegation allows the Investment Committee to take advantage of investment opportunities when they arise. The range that the Investment Committee can invest in beyond the SAA is known as the Tactical Asset Allocation. It could mean, for example, that the SAA says that 25% should be invested in Australian shares, but the Investment Committee might choose to invest 27% into Australian shares instead to take advantage of an opportunity to buy a larger number of shares at a cheaper price.

As investments rise and fall, the percentage of money invested in an investment may change. For example, if an investment option has 30% invested in Australian Shares and the Australian share market drops dramatically, the amount of money invested by that investment option into the share market will also fall (as the shares that are held fall in value). This means that the actual asset allocation of the Balanced Growth option may differ slightly from the Tactical Asset Allocation.

What's next?

Investment performance

Compare the performance of our investment options over the last 10 years.

My life changes

Manage your super throughout life’s changes to best prepare for the future.

How much will I need?

Find out how much you’re likely to need to enjoy the lifestyle you want in retirement.

What our members say

“I gained a better understanding of my current superannuation position, other superannuation products available to me & general retirement options.”

Members

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