Workers across Victoria have been jointly “robbed” of more than $1.4 billion in unpaid super and will impact their retirement, according to a new analysis of Australian Taxation Office (ATO) data between 2016-17 by Industry Super Australia (ISA).
The study found that the electorates that were the hardest hit were the Melbourne, Cranbourne and Tarneit and on average the state’s workers were “ripped off” about $1,750 a year in super.
Additionally, the ISA data showed unpaid super cut by Victorian electorates showed that no suburb was immune.
According to ISA, the Victorian government should push to create laws that criminally punished employers who do not pay wages, superannuation and other entitlements. It said the Victorian government could help fix the unpaid super once and for all by calling on the federal government to require super was paid on payday.
“Across the state almost a third of Victorian workers are having their super stolen, no area is immune. Unpaid super blasts a hole in workers’ savings, making a huge difference to their quality of life in retirement,” Industry Super Australia deputy chief executive Matt Linden.
“With such little enforcement action taken against those responsible for the unpaid super scandal it is time for Victoria’s federal and state politicians to act.”
