The wait is over for approximately 11,000 ex-Ansett staff who finally received their superannuation entitlements after nearly a decade.
Progressive payments were made over the past few months, with the final balance settled on 28 June according to the Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation, Bill Shorten.
Former trustees of two Ansett superannuation plans formed the Ansett Residual Superannuation Fund in 2004 (with Mercer as trustee) to pay outstanding death and disablement claims and distribute remaining assets to members.
Shorten said, "Ansett may be gone, but the workers are not forgotten. The Labor party has never given up on Ansett workers."
Ansett was placed under voluntary receivership in September 2001 after Air New Zealand struggled to make the company viable in the face of increasing domestic and international competition.
"The collapse of Ansett was a significant moment in Australia's recent history, and as much of an impact as it had on the country, it is of course the workers who suddenly lost their jobs that day who were the most affected."
Legislation was recently passed giving the Commissioner of Taxation power to recover unpaid superannuation guarantee amounts from company directors when companies fail to comply with superannuation obligations.
The Government also confirmed ongoing support for the 'Securing Super' proposals as part of the Protecting Workers' Entitlements Package.
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.