Compare what each fund offers, then choose investment options to put their published costs and returns side by side.
Retail platform
BT offers Panorama Super and the self-directed BT Super Invest product. These are investment platforms with costs determined partly by what the member holds.
BT Super Invest is currently limited to existing Westpac customers aged at least 18 in Australia. Panorama has its own application arrangements.
Restricted occupational fund
FES Super serves eligible Western Australian fire and emergency services employees, with defined benefit and accumulation accounts.
Firefighters start in the Defined Benefit Account. Different rules apply to other permanent, temporary and casual employees of DFES and associated employers. Spouse and retained accounts are available under their own eligibility rules.
Choose the actual investment pathway for each account. For lifecycle products, select the named stage relevant to you. No stage is selected automatically.
The costs and returns belong to the selected product, option or lifecycle stage.
Source: APRA Comprehensive Product Performance Package 2026, published 28 August 2026. Fees reflect the reporting year to 30 June 2026, are net of tax, use standard arrangements and exclude member-activity fees. Dollar figures are rounded. They are not a current quote. Check the latest PDS for changes, insurance premiums and any separately charged advice.
Returns are annualised historical results. Different return bases, risk levels and periods cannot be treated as interchangeable. MySuper net returns use a $50,000 representative balance even when you change the fee balance. A lifecycle stage return does not track a person moving between stages. Missing figures mean not reported, not zero. Past returns do not predict future returns. Read our method and APRA's definitions.
| What to compare | BT | FES Super |
|---|---|---|
| Membership and access | BT Super Invest is currently limited to existing Westpac customers aged at least 18 in Australia. Panorama has its own application arrangements. Sources123 | Firefighters start in the Defined Benefit Account. Different rules apply to other permanent, temporary and casual employees of DFES and associated employers. Spouse and retained accounts are available under their own eligibility rules. Sources12345 |
| Accounts and products | Panorama Super and BT Super Invest. Sources123 | Fire and Emergency Services Superannuation Fund in Western Australia. Compare its accumulation accounts separately from defined benefits. Defined Benefit Account Accumulation Account Retained Benefit Account Spouse Account Account Based Pension Sources12345 |
| Investment choices | Shares, ETFs, managed funds, managed portfolios and other permitted investments, depending on the selected product and menu. Sources123 | Smoothed option for accumulation accounts Accumulation members have six choices: Smoothed, Moderate, Cash, Fixed Interest, International Shares and Australian Shares. The Smoothed option can set aside some returns in stronger years and release reserves in weaker years, at the board's discretion. Sources12345 |
| Insurance | Check the insurance offering in the precise platform PDS; it should not be inferred from a former BT employer account. Sources123 | The defined benefit has employment-related death and disability provisions, with separate income protection arrangements. Accumulation insurance uses different terms. Check occupation, account type and employment status before comparing cover. Sources12345 |
| Retirement income | Super and pension account types are available. Minimum transaction-account balances differ by account phase. Sources123 | Members can retain eligible savings or use an account-based pension. Converting a defined benefit into accumulation can be irreversible under the scheme rules. Sources12345 |
| Advice and support | Panorama supports adviser use; Super Invest is marketed to self-directed investors. Sources123 | This detail has not been verified for this profile. Check the current product documents. |
| Fee details to check | Super Invest lists $540 a year plus a balance-based administration charge, then investment and transaction costs. Its quoted administration fee is not a total annual cost. Sources123 | This detail has not been verified for this profile. Check the current product documents. |
| Comparing investment performance | There is no single BT platform return. Compare the selected portfolio after platform, investment, transaction and advice costs. Sources123 | Any investment comparison on this profile applies to the named accumulation option. Obtain a scheme benefit estimate before assessing a defined benefit transfer. Sources12345 |
THE SUPERGURU VIEW
Most relevant when a person has a reason to use specific investments and will use the platform's extra control.
Based on the cited product features. These are general reasons to investigate the fund, not a personal recommendation. Supporting sources.
THE SUPERGURU VIEW
For a firefighter, the starting point is the value of the employment-linked benefit and cover. A return chart cannot price those entitlements. For an accumulation member, the unusual Smoothed option deserves attention: smoothing changes when returns are credited, without removing investment risk.
Based on the cited product features. These are general reasons to investigate the fund, not a personal recommendation. Supporting sources.
Use the membership rules to establish which accounts are available to you. Then compare the total price of the investment option and cover you need. A lower fee or higher historical return alone does not tell you which fund is suitable.
Ask both funds to confirm insurance acceptance, exclusions, waiting periods and whether cover would change when you leave your employer. Obtain advice before giving up a defined benefit or an insurance policy you may not be able to replace. ASIC Moneysmart explains the comparison checks.
Read the full BT profile · Read the full FES Super profile · Choose another comparison
Checked 2026-09-11. Documents and product terms can change after this date.
Checked 2026-09-11. Documents and product terms can change after this date.