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CONTENTS
Passage History
Purpose
Background
Main Provisions
Contact Officer and Copyright Details
Superannuation Legislation (Commonwealth Employment)
Repeal and Amendment (Consequential Amendments) Bill
1998
Date Introduced: 12 November 1998
House: House of Representatives
Portfolio: Finance and Administration
Commencement: Refer to the Main Provisions
section
The Bill will
make a number of minor amendments, principally to ensure the
continuation of some minor, current superannuation benefits to the
Governor-General and their spouse and Federal judges despite the
termination of certain Commonwealth superannuation schemes as a
result of the introduction of the choice of superannuation funds
for Commonwealth employees.
With the introduction of choice of
superannuation fund for Commonwealth employees substantial changes
were made to the administration of public superannuation schemes,
which will be closed to new entrants from the introduction of
choice of fund. The changes to the administration of the public
superannuation schemes have had some unintended effects that will
be rectified by this Bill.
For further information on changes to the public
superannuation schemes, refer to the Digest for the Superannuation
Legislation (Commonwealth Employment) Repeal and Amendment Bill
1998.
A substantially similar Bill of the same name
was introduced in July 1998 but failed to pass Parliament before
Parliament was perogued for the 1998 General election.
The Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits
Authority is responsible for the administration of the Defence
Force Retirement and Death Benefits Act 1973 and consists of
the Commissioner for Superannuation as Chairman, a Deputy Chair
appointed by the Minister and 3 other members. As the position of
Commissioner for Superannuation is to abolished as part of the
changes referred to above, the composition of the Authority will be
changed, with the Chairman now to be appointed by the Minister
(Schedule 2).
Commencement: 1 July 1999.
As part of the changes referred to above, the
Superannuation (Productivity Benefit) Act 1988, which
implemented award superannuation entitlements prior to the
introduction of the superannuation guarantee scheme, is to be
repealed from the date of the introduction of choice of fund.
However, certain entities covered by the Productivity Benefit Act
are not included in the definition of an employee for the purposes
of the superannuation guarantee scheme and the repeal of that Act
could result in certain people not being eligible for the minimum
superannuation contribution required under the superannuation
guarantee scheme.
Schedule 3 of the Bill will
amend the Governor-General Act 1974 to provide that if the
Governor-General or their surviving spouse, or former spouse, dies
after 1 July 1999 there is payable to the personal representative
of the deceased an amount equal to the amount calculated had
monthly payments of the required superannuation guarantee charge
been made. The amendments ensure that the minimum superannuation
guarantee amounts are available, as would occur with other
employees. Schedule 4 will make similar amendments
in respect of Federal judges.
Commencement: 1 July 1999.
Chris Field
30 November 1998
Bills Digest Service
Information and Research Services
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ISSN 1328-8091
© Commonwealth of Australia 1998
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Published by the Department of the Parliamentary Library,
1998.
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