Late SG payers should be penalised

The Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees (AIST) has urged the Government to reconsider its proposal to reduce the Superannuation Guarantee (SG) late payment penalty.

AIST argued the change will reduce the incentive for employers to pay mandatory SG payments on time.

Under the proposed changes, the SG charge will only be calculated on ordinary time earnings and interest will only be payable from the SG due date, significantly reducing the cost to non-compliant employers.

AIST executive manager for policy and research, David Haynes, said the system should reward employers who are good citizens and penalise employers who are bad corporate citizens.

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"The penalty for not paying super on time should be substantially greater than the SG itself," Haynes said.

According to AIST modelling, if an employer fails to pay an employee earning $5,000 per month and therefore $1,140 in super they will be required to pay an additional $285. However, under the proposed changes, the amount due is simply the unpaid super amount, with a nominal admin charge added.

"The purpose of the charge is to encourage employers to meet their legal obligations, it is fundamentally a form of consumer protection," Haynes said.