HESTA lowers investment fees

HESTA has announced lower investment fees and costs across most of its core investment options for the 2025/26 financial year.

The changes, reflected in HESTA Super's updated 30 September Product Disclosure Statement, show investment fees and costs for the default MySuper Balanced Growth option, where most of the fund's more than one million members are invested, have fallen 10%. Over the past four years, investment fees and costs for the default option have dropped by more than 28%.

Investment fees and costs for the Balanced Growth option have been reduced from 0.58% to 0.52%. Over the past four years, these fees have fallen from 0.73% to 0.52%.

HESTA chief executive Robbie Campo said the changes reflected the fund's ongoing commitment to delivering value for its members as it continues to grow.

"In an environment where costs are rising across the economy, we're very pleased to have been able to again lower what members pay. Every dollar we save our members in fees is a dollar that stays invested and keeps working for their retirement," Campo said.

"Alongside lower investment costs, we've also reduced insurance and income stream account fees this year so members at all stages of life can see the benefit. In some cases, members will be paying hundreds of dollars less in total fees compared to last year."

HESTA chief investment officer Sonya Sawtell-Rickson said the reduction in investment fees was the result of the continued focus on ensuring members can benefit from HESTA's scale, internalisation and long-term partnerships.

"This is the fourth straight year of lower investment fees for members in our default product, supporting future retirement outcomes. As we grow, we're proud to reduce what members pay while maintaining a portfolio designed to perform across market cycles," Sawtell-Rickson said.

"That combination of strong, long-term returns and disciplined cost management can make a meaningful difference to the retirement balances of our members."

For a HESTA member with an indicative $80,000 balance invested in Balanced Growth, the latest reduction is worth around $48 a year. On top of the reductions over recent years, the member benefit is worth approximately $168 a year, compared with investment fees and costs disclosed four years ago at 30 September.

Four of HESTA's five ready-made diversified options also saw a reduction in investment fees. Investment fees and costs for members in High Growth have fallen from 0.72% to 0.55%, for Sustainable Growth from 0.75% to 0.50%, and Conservative from 0.40% to 0.37%. Investment fees for Indexed Balanced Growth, one of the fund's lowest-cost options, edged up from 0.08% to 0.09%.

Changes also apply across most of HESTA's Your Choice investment options. Fees and costs for International Shares have been reduced from 0.29% to 0.21%, Diversified Bonds from 0.32% to 0.25%, and Australian Shares from 0.23% to 0.22%. Fees and costs for Property and Infrastructure have risen slightly from 0.94% to 0.96%, as have fees for Cash and Term Deposits, from 0.03% to 0.07%.