The super fund for construction, building, and allied industries.
Cbus is an industry superannuation fund regulated by APRA. Established in 1984, the fund is headquartered in VIC and operates under RSE Licence L0000355. The trustee responsible for managing the fund is United Super Pty Ltd.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| ABN | 46 006 261 623 |
| RSE Licence | L0000355 |
| Trustee | United Super Pty Ltd |
| Legal Name | United Super Pty Ltd |
| Established | 1984 |
| Headquarters | Level 28, 2 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 |
| Fund Type | Industry |
| USI | CBU0100AU |
| Member Services Phone | 1300 361 784 |
| Website | https://www.cbussuper.com.au |
Cbus manages $85 billion in assets under management, serving approximately 900 members across approximately 140,000 employers. This makes it a mid-to-large fund in the Australian superannuation landscape.
Cbus sits in the mid-to-large tier of Australian super funds. At this size, the fund has meaningful negotiating power with investment managers and can access a reasonable range of unlisted assets. The fund is large enough to benefit from economies of scale while remaining focused on its core membership base.
Cbus's MySuper option charges a total fee of $393 per year on a $50,000 balance (0.66% of a $50,000 balance). On a $100,000 balance, annual fees come to $708. The fee structure includes a fixed administration component plus percentage-based investment and indirect cost charges.
| Fee Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Administration Fee (Flat) | $78 p.a. |
| Administration Fee (%) | 0.00% |
| Investment Fee (MySuper) | 0.58% |
| Indirect Cost Ratio | 0.05% |
| Buy/Sell Spread | 0.10% |
| Performance Fee | Yes |
The table below shows how Cbus's total annual fees scale with your account balance. Funds with a higher flat fee component tend to be proportionally more expensive at lower balances.
| Balance | $10,000 | $25,000 | $50,000 | $100,000 | $250,000 | $500,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee ($) | $141 | $236 | $393 | $708 | $1,653 | $3,228 |
| Fee as % of Balance | 1.41% | 0.94% | 0.79% | 0.71% | 0.66% | 0.65% |
The Growth (MySuper) option has delivered a 10-year annualised return of 8.4%, which is broadly in line with the industry median for MySuper products. This suggests the fund has been a reliable performer without standing out significantly in either direction.
| Period | Return (p.a.) |
|---|---|
| 1 Year | +11.5% |
| 3 Years | +8.2% |
| 5 Years | +8.4% |
| 7 Years | +8.5% |
| 10 Years | +8.4% |
The following table shows the annual returns for Cbus's Growth (MySuper) option for each financial year. This allows you to see how the fund performed during both strong market years and downturns, including the COVID-19 sell-off in FY2020 and the inflation-driven correction in FY2022.
| Year | FY2015 | FY2016 | FY2017 | FY2018 | FY2019 | FY2020 | FY2021 | FY2022 | FY2023 | FY2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Growth (MySuper) | +10.2% | +4.5% | +12.8% | +10.2% | +8.2% | +0.2% | +20.5% | -2.2% | +10.2% | +8.8% |
Cbus offers 8 investment options spanning pre-mixed diversified portfolios and single-sector choices. Each option carries a different risk profile and fee structure. The asset allocation doughnut charts below show the mix of growth and defensive assets within each option.
| Type | Risk Level | Total Fee | 1yr | 5yr | 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-mixed | 5 — Medium to High | 0.66% | +11.5% | +8.4% | +8.4% |
| Type | Risk Level | Total Fee | 1yr | 5yr | 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-mixed | 6 — High | 0.72% | +13.8% | +9.2% | +9.5% |
| Type | Risk Level | Total Fee | 1yr | 5yr | 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-mixed | 3 — Low to Medium | 0.52% | +5.5% | +3.2% | +4.0% |
| Type | Risk Level | Total Fee | 1yr | 5yr | 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sector | 1 — Very Low | 0.15% | +4.0% | +1.6% | +1.3% |
Cbus provides default insurance cover through MetLife Insurance. Most members are automatically enrolled in death and TPD cover when they join, while income protection is typically opt-in. Insurance premiums are deducted directly from your super balance, which means you do not pay out of pocket but your retirement savings are reduced over time.
| Cover Type | Details |
|---|---|
| Insurer | MetLife Insurance |
| Death Cover | Yes — unitised, opt-out |
| TPD Cover | Yes — unitised, opt-out |
| Income Protection | Yes — opt-in |
| Default Death Cover (age 30) | $250,000 |
| Default TPD Cover (age 30) | $200,000 |
| Maximum Cover Age | 70 |
The following table shows estimated annual premiums for Cbus's default death and TPD cover at various ages. Premiums increase significantly with age as the risk of claims rises. These are indicative figures for a standard occupation category.
| Age | Age 25 | Age 30 | Age 35 | Age 40 | Age 45 | Age 50 | Age 55 | Age 60 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Premium | $160 | $270 | $450 | $690 | $1,080 | $1,650 | $2,450 | $3,500 |
Occupation categories: Office, Light Manual, Heavy Manual
IP waiting periods: 30 days, 60 days, 90 days
IP benefit periods: 2 years, To age 65
APRA (the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority) publishes an annual MySuper Product Heatmap that assesses each fund across fees, investment returns, and sustainability. The heatmap uses a traffic-light system to flag products that may be underperforming relative to peers. Here is where Cbus's MySuper option sits on the latest heatmap:
A "Below median" fee rating means the fund's fees are lower than the typical MySuper product — which is positive for members. An "Above median" return rating indicates the fund has delivered stronger returns than the median fund. A "Performing" sustainability rating means APRA has not identified any concerns about the product's long-term viability.
Cbus is led by CEO Kristian Fok. The board comprises 12 directors, with equal representation of 5 member-elected and 5 employer-appointed directors, plus 2 independent directors. As an APRA-regulated fund, Cbus must meet strict governance standards including director fitness and propriety requirements, risk management frameworks, and regular independent audits.
| Role | Details |
|---|---|
| CEO | Kristian Fok |
| Chief Investment Officer | Kristian Fok |
| Member-Elected Directors | 5 |
| Employer-Appointed Directors | 5 |
| Independent Directors | 2 |
Major mergers: Media Super (announced 2024)
Cbus maintains a formal ESG policy and has committed to a net-zero emissions target by 2050. As a signatory to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (UN PRI), the fund has committed to incorporating ESG factors into its investment decision-making.
| ESG Criteria | Status |
|---|---|
| ESG Policy | Yes |
| Net Zero Target | 2050 |
| UN PRI Signatory | Yes |
| ACSI Member | Yes |
| Fossil Fuel Exclusion | Partial |
| Tobacco Exclusion | Full |
| Weapons Exclusion | Controversial weapons |
The Cbus app has solid ratings of 4.4 on iOS and 4.2 on Android, providing members with a functional mobile experience for checking balances, managing investments, and accessing statements.
| Service | Details |
|---|---|
| iOS App Rating | 4.4/5.0 |
| Android App Rating | 4.2/5.0 |
| Financial Advice | Limited personal advice included; Cbus coordinators on building sites |
| Call Centre Hours | 8am-8pm AEST Mon-Fri |
| Languages Supported | English, Italian, Greek, Mandarin, Vietnamese |
| Branch Network | No physical branches |
During the Global Financial Crisis in 2008, Cbus lost 11.5%, roughly in line with the industry average. The GFC remains the most severe market downturn in recent memory and tested every super fund's risk management framework.
In the COVID-19 year (FY2020), Cbus delivered a positive return of +0.2% despite the March 2020 crash.
How a fund performs during market downturns can be as revealing as its long-term returns. Funds that limit losses during crashes tend to have more conservative asset allocations or better risk management, though this can sometimes come at the cost of lower returns during boom periods.
With 3.9 complaints per 10,000 members, Cbus's complaint rate is around the industry average. This level is typical for a fund of its size and does not indicate any systemic service issues.
AFCA is the independent complaints body for financial services in Australia. Members can escalate complaints to AFCA if they are unable to resolve a dispute directly with their super fund. The complaints-per-10,000-members ratio is the most meaningful comparison metric as it adjusts for fund size.
See how Cbus stacks up against every other fund in our database with a detailed side-by-side comparison.