--- In otmushrooms, "tdnorthey" <tn@d...> wrote:
> http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/07/30/1091080441525.html
>
> "Tax Office gives super assurance
> July 30, 2004 - 8:49PM
>
> The Australian Tax Office (ATO) has assured workers they will not
> be left out of pocket by problems with the administration of
> compulsory superannuation payments.

The original source of this article is the news release at:
http://tinyurl.com/42yr2 or
http://www.ato.gov.au/corporate/content.asp?
doc=/content/mr2004057.htm

I note that they use the phrase "small minority" when describing the
number of people affected - by their figures, that small minority is
over 2% of the workforce, which I hardly think is "small".

"Some employees affected by super processing difficulties
Printable version

Media Release - Nat 04/057

The Tax Office has assured employees and employers affected by
difficulties with the Super Guarantee processing system that they
will not be out of pocket.

Only a small minority of Australia's 9.6 million employees and
900,000 employers are affected by the system problems. Individuals
potentially affected are those with outstanding employer-funded
super entitlements and obligations.

Full financial compensation will be paid to the employees' super
accounts to cover interest foregone through delays in getting the
money into the funds. All the money is superannuation savings that
cannot be accessed until retirement.

A new computer system was put in place last December to administer
the new quarterly Super Guarantee legislation and to make direct
payments to super funds of employee entitlements.

We have had problems with the new system that have caused delays,
particularly with cases involving unpaid entitlements from past
years.

We are working to rectify the systems problems as quickly as
possible.

The new system has been effective in paying $45.2 million to 62,000
individuals in cases of employer-declared shortfalls or claimed
super vouchers since May.

However, more complex cases involving past years calculations are
being processed manually. Currently, $97 million in super recovered
for 193,000 employees is being processed this way. To date, $1.4
million has been paid directly to the funds.

Employers affected by Tax Office delays in calculating and
collecting the unpaid employee entitlements will have any penalties
waived so they too are not out of pocket.

The Tax Office has been working closely with the superannuation
industry to resolve issues of concern.

Where an employer fails to pay super to eligible employees, the Tax
Office collects entitlements and penalties on behalf of employees
and transfers the money to the employee's super fund.

CANBERRA
30 July 2004"