Over the past few years, the three emergency services unions (The Police Association, the United Firefighters Union and the Ambulance Employees Association), have identified a number of areas where positive reforms to our members' superannuation are needed.

In July this year, the three unions wrote to the minister responsible for superannuation matters (Mr Tim Holding, Minister for Finance), raising issues including:

• Access to benefits once Maximum Benefits Limit (MBL) -  8.4 times final average salary -  has been reached
• Capacity of members to accrue benefits beyond the existing MBL for members employed in any of the three emergency services
• Impact of the proposed increase in the Superannuation Guarantee Charge (minimum statutory employer contribution) from 9 per cent to 12 per cent
• The age to which death and disability benefits are calculated 
• Access to transition to retirement benefits
• Retrospective disability applications
• The inclusion of up to two years parental leave to be counted as "contributory service"
• Lowering the preservation age for members

On Wednesday 8 September, a delegation from the three emergency services unions met with Minister Holding to discuss these issues and how they might be dealt with from this point.

The meeting also addressed issues the unions had regarding recent changes to extend membership of ESSS beyond age 65.

The emergency services unions will continue to press for a resolution on all these issues.

GREG DAVIES

Secretary

Click for the original PDF version of newsletter 38/10 >