The Morrison Government has reintroduced a bill to provide an amnesty for all theft of superannuation since the first day of the superannuation system.
The amnesty provides a period of two years for employers to disclose any theft of superannuation for which they can then avoid any kind of sanction.
Industry Super Australia has previously reported that workers are losing $5.9 billion in super every year to theft. The Morrison Government has previously claimed that this amnesty would recoup $200 million of this in total, covering a period of more than 27 years. Adding up to less than 3 per cent of just one year of stolen super.
Superannuation is a basic workplace right and we know that theft of super is systemic. Choosing to let employers off the hook rather than increase penalties and enforcement for this massive theft shows what side of this issue the Morrison Government is on.
As noted by ACTU Assistant Secretary Scott Connolly
“This amnesty will not recover the billions which have been stolen from workers since the beginning of the superannuation system. It’s a farce set up by a government obsessed with helping business find new ways to exploit workers.
“In a week where Alan Joyce is taking home 275 times the pay of the average worker, the Government is letting dodgy bosses get away with stealing from workers’ super.
“All workers should have an easily accessible mechanism to enforce unpaid wages and entitlements, including super.
“If the Morrison Government was serious about ending theft of superannuation it would increase enforcement, penalties, and allow unions back into workplaces to inspect pay records and to initiate recovery action against employers.
“This amnesty is an insult to all Australian workers and yet another demonstration of the Morrison Government’s commitment to its business backers.”
