A parliamentary committee has been given some insight into the variability of how both the Australian Taxation Office and superannuation funds are handling the Government’s hardship early release superannuation scheme.
Answering questions from the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics, major industry fund LUCRF has pointed out that, on occasion, the ATO has been responsible for reversing early release arrangements.
The fund pointed to the fact that there were at least nine occasions on which the ATO had approved early release applications only to later revoke them.
Pointing out that LUCRF was not involved in the process of approving early release application requests, the fund said that as at 28 April 2020, LUCRF had been advised by the ATO that it had revoked nine applications that they had previously approved.
LUCRF pointed out that, as well, 44 applications were unable to be processed by the ATO due to the member either closing their account prior to receipt of the ATO request or the member requesting the cancellation of the ATO application.
Jim Chalmers has defended changes to the Future Fund’s mandate, referring to himself as a “big supporter” of the sovereign wealth fund, amid fierce opposition from the Coalition, which has pledged to reverse any changes if it wins next year’s election.
In a new review of the country’s largest fund, a research house says it’s well placed to deliver attractive returns despite challenges.
Chant West analysis suggests super could be well placed to deliver a double-digit result by the end of the calendar year.
Specific valuation decisions made by the $88 billion fund at the beginning of the pandemic were “not adequate for the deteriorating market conditions”, according to the prudential regulator.