Ombudsman welcomes super amnesty extension proposal
Kate Carnell, Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, has welcomed the Federal government’s proposal to extend the amnesty of non-payment of workers’ superannuation.
The government had introduced legislation last week to extend a one-off amnesty which gave the opportunity for employers to catch-up on superannuation entitlements to employees.
Without the amnesty, employers would be penalised for failing to provide superannuation entitlements.
“We support the Bill as it would provide small business with a window of time to get up to date with outstanding payments to current and past employees,” Carnell said.
“Most small businesses do the right thing in this area, with 95% already complying.”
The Australian Tax Office (ATO) had access to company data through single touch payroll which meant they could easily check if businesses had late or unpaid superannuation payments.
“If this Bill gets through, small businesses should act quickly to take advantage of the amnesty or face significantly higher penalties if found to be non-compliant,” Carnell said.
Recommended for you
Financial Services Minister Stephen Jones has shared further details on the second tranche of the Delivering Better Financial Outcomes reforms including modernising best interests duty and reforming Statements of Advice.
The Federal Court has found a company director guilty of operating unregistered managed investment schemes and carrying on a financial services business without holding an AFSL.
The Governance Institute has said ASIC’s governance arrangements are no longer “fit for purpose” in a time when financial markets are quickly innovating and cyber crime becomes a threat.
Compliance professionals working in financial services are facing burnout risk as higher workloads, coupled with the ever-changing regulation, place notable strain on staff.