From 1 July 2023, the Queensland Government will change its superannuation arrangements for employees.
The key changes are:
- Queensland Government employees will receive 12.75% in employer superannuation contributions. This is higher than the Commonwealth’s superannuation guarantee rate.
- Police Officers will receive 18%.
This rate will apply to ordinary time earnings (OTE) which includes shift and weekend penalties and all forms of paid leave. Depending on your remuneration arrangements, OTE may be a larger base than what was previously used (superannuable salary).
No public sector employee will experience a lower employer superannuation contribution once these changes have been made. Many people will experience no change, while others may receive more employer contributions.
These changes will take effect automatically, and no action is required from employees.
Why are we making this change?
These changes are designed to simplify contribution arrangements and provide more flexibility for public sector employees.
Who does this change apply to?
You will receive information from your employer if this applies to you. We expect it to apply to employees in all Queensland Government departments, most statutory bodies and public service offices. Full details on which employers will be included in this change will be published in the Superannuation (State Public Sector) Notice 2021 once finalised and approved.
How does this change affect me?
Depending on your remuneration arrangements, you may receive more in employer superannuation contributions. This will be the case for most shift workers and continuous shift workers.
Many people will experience no change to their employer contributions; none will receive a lower employer superannuation contribution.
Employee contribution
Your current employee contribution will not change unless you choose to change it.
Before taking any action to change your contributions, you may wish to consider seeking financial advice.
From 1 July 2023, if you are an accumulation member, you’ll no longer need to make an employee contribution to receive the full 12.75% from your employer. Most Queensland Government employees, particularly anyone employed after 2008, are accumulation members.
If you are not a defined benefit member, you are an accumulation member. There will be no change to employee contribution arrangements for defined benefit members.
For new Queensland Government employees, the employee contribution will continue to default to 6% for Police Officers, 0% for casuals and 5% for other employees.
You may receive a once-off 'top-up' employer contribution to bring your 2022–23 employer contributions to a total of 12.75% of your 2022-23 OTE. For Police Officers this ‘top-up’ would be 18% of your 2022–23 OTE. This super payment will be made between 1 July and 30 September 2023.
From 1 April 2023, if you’re an accumulation member, you can reduce your employee contribution to 0%, but the employer contribution would decrease to 10.5% of OTE until the superannuation changes come into effect (on 1 July 2023). This will be offset when the once-off ‘top-up’ payment is made.
More information
You can visit Money smart for information on financial advice, or your superannuation fund may be able to assist you. See Advice about your QSuper account if you’re a QSuper member.
For any questions not covered below, email the Government Superannuation Officer at GovSuperOfficer@treasury.qld.gov.au.
Frequently asked questions
- I am on a total remuneration contract, what do the changes mean for me?
- I want to change my contribution rate; how do I do this?
- I salary sacrifice my superannuation contributions, what do I need to do?
- I am a defined benefit member; how will this change affect me?
- What is the difference between base salary, superannuable salary and ordinary time earnings?
- If I move agency, will my employee contribution rate change?
- What is the concessional contributions cap and which contributions count to the cap?
- My employer contributions will exceed the concessional contributions cap, what are my options?
- What is the one-off superannuation top-up payment and what does it mean for me?
- I am over 75 years old, why is my employer paying me less superannuation?
- The sum of my income and concessional contributions exceeds $250,000, do I have to pay extra tax?
- I have a total superannuation balance of $1.7 million or more, what happens to my contributions?
- Will I get superannuation contributions on paid parental leave or paid defence force leave?
