It gets a little bit lonelier each week

We have reached the year that was the focus, in 2008, for the Australia 2020 Summit in Canberra, where the NTEU A&TSI Policy Committee had asked then National President Caroline Allport to speak about the proposal that A&TSI Peoples be able to gain voluntary early access to retirement, pension and superannuation. The final report contained clause 7.36: ‘Re-appraise superannuation for A&TSI people: their shorter life expectancies mean they have less opportunity to enjoy superannuation after retirement.’ Many will be lucky to live long enough to reach retirement age. Collecting superannuation is almost hypothetical for many at present. Many A&TSI Peoples are employed in lower earning capacity positions and this is exacerbated by work being inconsistent rather than ongoing. A&TSI women face even worse superannuation outcomes. They ‘are more likely to be a sole parent, have a higher birth rate, larger families… more likely to make major changes to their work life balance to accommodate these responsibilities. If employed… more likely to be of intermittent casual or part time… are less likely than any other group to have a retirement that offers more than poverty and deprivation.’ (NATSIWA submission 65) There have been various conferences/consultations recently within the industry about A&TSI superannuation. Much emphasis has been on administrative complications, extended kinship matters and contribution ‘solutions’. This situation ignores the failure of Closing the Gap. The median age of the A&TSI population is 21 years so the problem is a growing one and cannot be ignored.

A precedent argument that other groups will wish to claim the right to early access holds little weight. If there is another identifiable group in Australia that has the same proven disadvantage, then they also would have the opportunity to request the change. This is not about privilege but reparation of an inherited legacy. The ACTU has 5 priorities in the ‘Our Voice, Our Future’ policy concerning A&TSI Peoples. One of these deals with retirement savings. It calls among other issues, for: • A reduction in the statutory retirement age and superannuation access age for A&TSI workers which reflects the life expectancy gap. • A reduction/amendment to the statutory age for accessing the old age pension and or any other relevant government benefits. • A review of the tax-free threshold status in conjunction with a reduction in the statutory age for accessing superannuation. Compassionate release or hardship provisions are not the answer and seen by many as offensive. Decisions are still being made on behalf of people.

We need action not dialogue. Surely one superannuation company has the moral fortitude to work with us to convince government to remove the impediments to voluntary early access? This is not just a matter of equity but a matter of humanity for individuals, families and communities. It is repugnant enough that people die younger through no fault of their own but to miss the opportunity to do so in a socially richer environment, where they can enjoy the quality time with family and grandchildren that others enjoy, denies them of some dignity. There have been too many funerals lately. ◆

Terry Mason, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy Committee

A&TSI staffing data signals a slowdown cont...

• Will places of cultural safety and gathering continue in an environment of reduced funding? While many questions remain, NTEU is concerned that: • Appropriate levels of funding are not being allocated to the ISSP • Places of cultural safety for A&TSI students are disappearing from campus • A&TSI employment clauses in University Collective Agreements are being constantly challenged by university management and bargaining teams, therefore stifling employment opportunities for potential A&TSI academic and general/professional staff • In the main university A&TSI employment strategies provide little detail on how to achieve the 3% employment target. While the Government claims success in the growth of A&TSI student numbers, programs and strategies are not sufficient, funding is stagnant and A&TSI employment will not increase without the direct influence of the NTEU. The current upside-down duck approach employed by the Government for A&TSI tertiary education and employment (legs appearing to run while the duck drowns) will only result in fewer A&TSI students being attracted to attend university, lower numbers of staff employed and overall less assistance for those students who remain. ◆

Adam Frogley, National A&TSI Director

Selected Higher Education Statistics – 2018 Staffing Data are available online at www.education.gov.au/selected-higher-education-statistics-2018-staff-data