Business · Economy · 6 hrs ago
About one in four Australian workers are underpaid super, figures show
About one in four Australian workers are underpaid super, or employer payments into their retirement savings.
The shortfall is estimated at about $6 billion each year, but only about 15 per cent is recovered by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), according to independent reports.
In Brisbane, former dental clinic workers Pauline Devin and Angela Noack say they were owed about $5,000 and $3,000 respectively.
The ATO found in their favour after they complained, but 18 months later they said they had received no recovered money or further information.
The ATO says privacy laws limit what it can tell employees and says it works to ensure employers meet their super obligations.
Industry Fund Services uses calls and messages to pursue unpaid super for three super funds, and says most cases are resolved without escalation to a final demand.
The figures highlight a gap between unpaid super and money recovered, while Devin and Noack are still waiting for an update on their cases.
About one in four Australian workers are underpaid superannuation by their employers, amounting to about $6 billion a year, according to figures reported by ABC Australia.
Independent reports cited by the article show that only about 15 per cent of unpaid super is recovered by the Australian Taxation Office.
Two oral health therapists say they are still waiting for about $8,000 in unpaid super after the ATO found in their favour.
The ATO says privacy laws limit what it can tell employees and that it takes action to recover unpaid super.
A private recovery firm says it uses direct contact and escalation, including possible legal action, to pursue unpaid super for three funds.
- Who
- Australian workers, including oral health therapists Pauline Devin and Angela Noack, whose employers underpaid their super.
- What
- About one in four workers are underpaid super, with around $6 billion unpaid each year. Only about 15 per cent is recovered, according to independent reports cited in the article.
- When
- The story was published on October 21, 2026. Devin and Noack filed complaints early last year.
- Where
- Australia; Devin and Noack worked at a dental clinic in Brisbane.
- Why
- Not stated
Australian Taxation Office
Pauline Devin and Angela Noack
Information for employees
Australian Taxation Office
The ATO says tax secrecy and privacy laws limit what it can disclose to employees.
Pauline Devin and Angela Noack
Devin says she wanted to know when her unpaid super might be paid, not receive financial details.
Recovery of unpaid super
Australian Taxation Office
The ATO says it dedicates significant resources to audits and debt recovery and advises employees when it collects unpaid super for them.
Pauline Devin and Angela Noack
Noack says the ATO does not seem to be doing enough to recover her unpaid super; both women say they have received nothing.
Pauline Devin and Angela Noack were underpaid around $5,000 and $3,000 in super while working at a Brisbane dental clinic.
Devin and Noack filed separate complaints with the Australian Taxation Office.
The ATO found in favour of Devin and Noack.
Neither woman had received any unpaid super or further information from the ATO.
- Share of workers affected
- About one in four
- Estimated unpaid super
- About $6 billion each year
- Share recovered
- About 15 per cent
- Pauline Devin's underpayment
- Around $5,000
- Angela Noack's underpayment
- Around $3,000
- Recovery firm
- Industry Fund Services collects unpaid super for three super funds
What people are saying
I just wanted to know when I could maybe, possibly, think about getting that superannuation paid to me.
I have come to the conclusion I'm probably not ever going to get my super paid from [my employer] at this point, and the ATO don't seem to be really going in to bat and doing anything about recovering that either
serious about ensuring employers comply with their super obligations and dedicates significant resources to educating employers, undertaking audits and debt recovery actions after liabilities have been raised
If we don't have any success early on, we then have escalation processes, so we'll follow up with … what we call a final demand call and then at that point, we will actually threaten to take legal action.