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.”
Vanguard Super has reported strong returns across most of its investment options, attributed to a “low-cost, index-based approach”.
The fund has achieved double-digit returns amid market volatility, reinforcing the value of long-term investment strategies for its members.
Australian super funds notched a third consecutive year of strong returns, with the median balanced option delivering an estimated 10.1 per cent over the 2024-25 financial year, but an economist has warned that the rally may be harder to sustain as key risks gather pace.
AustralianSuper has reported a 9.52 per cent return for its Balanced super option for the 2024–25 financial year, as markets delivered another year of strong performance despite the complex investing environment.