I'd continue my previous whinge here (www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/General-Discussion/Chat/Super-negative-annuation/) but it's pasted its reply by date.
Here's my latest... I have a super account which is 100% cash, guess how much money it lost for the year?
$1100... when did cash go down in value... when did we get negative interest rates? WTF did I mis?
$260 of that was
Basic TPD
Voluntary TPD
Asset Fee
Administration Fee
Inv Choice Fee
Contributions Tax
It's an industry super... fark it's REST.
I told them, written to them, faxed forms to the retards there, that I don't want ANY insurance... do they understand? NO
How much has my other Super lost this year? OnePath (www.onepath.com.au/home.aspx), One Path to farking ruin. It's lost 13%.
How did my personal investments do? + 8% and most of it is CASH!
Yeah I know manage your own super.
Do yourself a favour and have a look at how your being ripped.
Hmmm...
I have a very good employer super scheme - but I am about to change employer and that will stop. I have put most of my extra income into paying off the mortgage and will have it done within 2yrs at age 47yo. Even as a young bloke I quickly worked out that Super was subject to the ever changing tax policies of the then government....
I reckon once I get the mortgage squared away any extra income will go into cash term deposits. * I need to do a lot more homework on tax benefits of salary sacraficing....
I don't trust super because it is controlled by goverment rules and regs that they change at will. I don't trust either side of goverment and the greens even less, besides the whole show is run by beurocrats that multiply like bacteria on a good growth medium (our taxes)
Hence I have never put anymore than absolutely required into the goverments piggy bank they have been eying off for some time now.
And I too had quite a hard time convincing Australian Super that I didn't want their life insurance scam, it should be a opt in scheme, not a try to get out of situation after they decide for you... rant ... rannt rant
On a similar note I caught a bit of a news story tonight about people investing in artwork for their self managed super.
The government has apparently ruled that unless the artwork is stored away in professional storage, the artwork cannot be considered as a valid super investment.
Obviously the art world is upset by this and one collector spooked by the thought of not being able to see his collection has put the lot up for auction.
www.superguide.com.au/smsfs/smsf-investment-art-collectors-subject-to-stricter-guidelines
i dont know how people sleep putting their super into art! (collegue was talking about buying paintings) screw that.
Although I do like those posters of dogs playing pool....
I've been self managed the past 12 months and now look at super in a new light. You control it, you own it, you manage expenses, you make your own investment decisions and it's not that hard to beat those fee sucking mega funds. Of course there's paper work and it takes some time to set up and manage but I reckon it's worth the effort.
I think if the government were serious about people having money on retirement they'd allow super contributions to be deposited in some sort of locked account that you can't access till retirement age or if something happens.
Remove the cornered market that allows the big profit super companies to exist. and let people benefit from the full spoils of their working life. Stop feeding an un-necessary industry. 
OK after speaking with REST over several hours, we've gone through all the details and the reason I lost.
It basically boils down to an asset allocation change.
I moved away from a diversified portfolio to Cash/Bonds... so while the FYTD of the diversified portfolio is 0.2%, me with my good luck moved it when it was -4.5% (the LOWEST point since!) that is what screwed me.
Putting it in cash/bonds made me recover most of the loss, or I could have just left it and made 2% 
For those interested unit price history by week is here: rest.com.au/member/investments/super-options
Heard the other day, you can access part of your super if unemployed for period of 13 weeks or more.
My superannuation plan is a loaded pistol. Medical advances and super sound too much like Tithonus to me. [en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tithonus]
Like seriously people, have you done the maths? You'll need millions.
Here's a pretty picture:
