Canberrans have been sapped of millions of dollars in unpaid superannuation contributions, with workers in the southern suburbs of the bush capital hardest hit.
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Analysis from Industry Super Australia shows that $73.3 million in unpaid super payments is owed to about 23 per cent of the voting population across the three federal electorates of the ACT.
Territory-wide, 38,600 workers have an average unpaid super amount of $1898 each.
In the southern electorate of Bean, the impact of unpaid superannuation is more pronounced, with the average unpaid amount sitting at $2065.
The average unpaid amounts in the electorates of Canberra and Fenner stand at $1718 and $1917 respectively.
ISA, which represents major industry funds including Hostplus, AustralianSuper and CBUS, claims the amount of unpaid superannuation could cost workers up to $60,000 in retirement.
The analysis, which goes on to find $370 million in unpaid super has been sapped from the ACT over the past six years, builds on ISA's attempts to muscle the federal government to change the way superannuation is paid as part of wages.
It is understood the office of Financial Services Minister Jane Hume is scheduled to meet with ISA about its unpaid super claims.
Senator Hume said she remains highly sceptical of ISA's unpaid super claims, saying the peak industry fund has conflated unpaid super figures in the past.
"Many of their prior claims have been found to be incorrect. In fact, just two years ago, their claims on unpaid super were found by Treasury to have been inflated by up to 45 per cent," she said.
"Industry Super Australia and Labor talk about unpaid super, yet opposed the biggest ever return of members' money in the SG Amnesty, which saw almost $1 billion in members' savings paid to them."
Currently superannuation contributions are paid on a quarterly basis. ISA believes it should be paid with workers' scheduled wages arrangement.
ISA chief executive Bernie Dean said federal politicians get paid super on their payday and and the law should reflect this same arrangement for all workers.
"This is a $75 million a year rip-off affecting a quarter of the ACT's workers, yet many of them remain unaware, assuming super is being paid because it appears on their payslip," Mr Dean said.
"Super is your money, you should get it paid at the same time you get your wages. By not mandating the payment of super with wages, politicians are stopping millions getting what they are owed."
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The unpaid super issue comes as the wealth retirement pool surpasses $3 trillion, due in part to the legislated rise in the Superannuation Guarantee (SG), which is scheduled to reach 12 per cent by the middle of the decade.
ISA has previously been labelled an anti-Coalition group, with its chair Greg Combet a former Labor politician and union leader.
Senator Hume said figures from the Australian Taxation Office show 96 per cent of businesses are paying the right amount under current SG obligations.
"Single Touch Payroll and more regular super fund reporting of employer contributions have improved ATO visibility of employer compliance," she said.
"This means the ATO can compare what employers promise to pay to the super fund and what they actually pay at the end of the quarter."
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