Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Superannuation, Financial Services and Financial Technology) Share this | Hansard source

I should have put on the record the reason the government opposes this amendment, which is that, while it acknowledges that super theft is a disgrace, the government has worked tirelessly to ensure the integrity of the superannuation guarantee. Most importantly and most recently that was by extending Single Touch Payroll to businesses with fewer than 20 employees, ensuring the ATO has real-time reporting of contributions received by super funds and strengthening the commissioner's ability to collect superannuation guarantee charges.

I have always encouraged people across the parliament to come to me with their policy ideas, knowing I'll carefully examine them on their merits and in good faith. If you are genuinely serious about an idea and you think it's a good policy, you shouldn't be scared to come forward and have it stand up to considered scrutiny. This Treasury Laws Amendment (Recovering Unpaid Superannuation) Bill 2019, as I said, has been to committee twice already—in this parliament and in the last—and, despite it being mooted in testimony before the committee, this idea was not at all recommended by either the majority or the dissenting reports on the bill. Furthermore, it was within the terms of reference of the Senate Economics References Committee's inquiry into superannuation underpayment in the 45th Parliament, chaired by a Labor senator. Again, there was absolutely nothing on this included in its recommendations.

So, as a result, the amendment that was proposed had no opportunity for proper scrutiny. The only reason it should be put up now is as a bad-faith attempt to scuttle a very good bill. It would have been a legislative and regulatory quagmire. Furthermore, the Fair Work Act does not have 100 per cent coverage of Australian employees, with state and local government employees not covered, along with some private sector employees. We felt this policy on the run was policy underdone.

Bill agreed to.

Bill reported without amendments; report adopted.