NESS Super — superannuation fund performance
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NESS Super reported A$1.4bn of total assets for 13,094 member accounts (average balance A$103k) in APRA's fund-level statistics for the year to 30 June 2025, with a one-year rate of return of 10.7%.
| Total assets | A$1.4bn |
| Member accounts | 13,094 |
| Average member balance | A$103k |
| 1-year rate of return | 10.7% |
| 5-year rate of return (annualised) | 8.5% |
| 10-year rate of return (annualised) | 6.7% |
| Investment options offered | — |
What running the fund costs
For its reporting year ended 30 June 2025, NESS Super ran on an operating expense ratio of 0.6% — the running cost per dollar of savings (0.5% is 50 cents per A$100 a year). Payments to related parties — companies connected to the fund's own trustee or owner group — came to A$548k, equal to roughly 8.8% of its administration bill (a related-party payment is disclosed, not improper — but it is worth knowing who the fund pays).
| Operating expense ratio | 0.6% |
| Investment expense ratio | 0.2% |
| Administration and operating expenses | A$6.2m |
| Marketing spend | A$554k (about A$42 per member account) |
| Executive remuneration (expensed to the fund) | A$1.2m |
| Director remuneration | A$411k |
| Payments to related parties | A$548k |
| Payments to industrial bodies | A$250k |
The annual performance test
Every year the regulator tests most super products against a benchmark portfolio — fail twice and the product must close to new members. As at 30 June 2025, 3 of this fund's products and options were tested, and every one of them passed:
| Product / option | Type | Test result | 10-yr return | Admin fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MySuper | MySuper | Pass | 7.0% | 0.3% |
| Choice - accumulation — High Growth Accumulation Option | Choice | Pass | 8.6% | 0.3% |
| Choice - accumulation — Stable Accumulation Option | Choice | Pass | 4.5% | 0.3% |
Does the insurance pay out?
Most super accounts carry insurance, paid from your balance. The admittance rate is the share of finalised claims the insurer accepted in the year to 30 June 2025 — the single best number for "does this cover actually pay". Over the year it collected A$3.9m in premiums and paid out A$1.4m in claims (claims paid in a year often relate to earlier years' cover, so this is a cash-flow picture, not a loss ratio).
| Cover type | Claims accepted (1-yr) | Claims paid | Premiums collected | Insurer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Life insurance (death cover) | — | — | A$1.3m | Zurich Australian Insurance Limited |
| Total & permanent disability (TPD) | — | — | A$1.1m | Zurich Australian Insurance Limited |
| Income protection | 90.0% | A$1.4m | A$1.5m | Chubb Insurance Australasia Ltd |
The gender gap in this fund
In NESS Super, women's average balance was 12.8% lower than men's — from the fund-level member demographics APRA last published for the year to 30 June 2022:
| Average balance — female members | A$67k |
| Average balance — male members | A$77k |
| Member accounts (female / male) | 822 / 11,537 |
Compare NESS Super with similar funds
The funds closest to NESS Super in size, side by side — each with its own page for the fees, insurance and performance-test detail:
| Fund | Assets | 1-yr return | 10-yr return | Why comparable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mason Stevens Super | A$1.3bn | 8.6% | — | Similar size |
| The Bendigo Superannuation Plan | A$1.5bn | 10.0% | 5.3% | Similar size |
| Perpetual WealthFocus Superannuation Fund | A$1.5bn | 10.5% | 6.9% | Similar size |
| Meat Industry Employees Superannuation Fund | A$1.2bn | 8.9% | 7.4% | Similar size |
| Super Simplifier | A$1.6bn | 7.9% | — | Similar size |
| Perpetual's Select Superannuation Fund | A$1.2bn | 8.9% | 6.4% | Similar size |
Questions this page answers
How big is NESS Super?
NESS Super held A$1.4bn in total assets for 13,094 member accounts in the APRA fund-level statistics for the year to 30 June 2025.
What return has NESS Super delivered?
NESS Super reported a 10.7% one-year rate of return, and 6.7% a year over the past ten years, at whole-of-fund level in the APRA fund-level statistics.
What does NESS Super charge in fees?
NESS Super reported an operating expense ratio of 0.6% and an investment expense ratio of 0.2% for its reporting year ended 30 June 2025 — the running cost per dollar of savings (APRA fund-level statistics).
Did NESS Super's products pass the performance test?
3 of NESS Super's products and options were tested against the regulator's annual performance test as at 30 June 2025, and every one passed.
Does NESS Super's insurance pay out?
In its latest reported year NESS Super's default cover collected A$3.9m in premiums and paid A$1.4m in claims, per the APRA fund-level statistics.
See also: Australian super in numbers — marketing spend, expenses, the gender gap and two decades of consolidation across all APRA-regulated funds · all tracked plans.