The Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees (AIST) today welcomed the Federal Government’s announcement that from 1 July 2026 employers will be required to pay superannuation at the same time as wages.
AIST CEO Eva Scheerlinck said the announcement was a win for workers and would improve the retirement balances of millions of working Australians.
She said AIST and others, including colleagues at Industry Super Australia, had been calling for this measure for a long time.
“We know the majority of employers do the right thing but some do not and, given superannuation is deferred wages, it makes sense that it be paid at the same time as salary and wages,” Ms Scheerlinck said.
“Historically, there has been an argument that paying more frequently than quarterly would be a burden on employers.
“However, since the introduction of digital initiatives such as SuperStream and single-touch-payroll, paying super is part of an automated process, requiring no additional manual effort.
“It will also give employees and the Australian Taxation Office earlier visibility of under-payment or non-payment of super, meaning it can be followed up more quickly with the employer and not left to balloon into serious non-payment.”
While the obligation to pay super at the same time as wages is not proposed to commence until 1 July 2026, Ms Scheerlinck encouraged employers to adopt the approach earlier.
“There’s nothing to stop employers from paying super at the same time as wages, so I’d encourage employers wanting to differentiate themselves and be viewed as employers-of-choice to adopt the approach immediately,” she said
