Superannuation

State public sector employees are entitled to employer superannuation contributions paid to either the super fund of their choice, or a State public sector super scheme.

Find out about:

• how your employer's superannuation contributions are calculated
• choice of super fund for public sector employees
• obtaining further information about superannuation.

Former employees

Former State public sector employees who are members of a GESB superannuation scheme, can have their employer contributions paid into a GESB Super account. If you have a West State Super, Gold State Super or Retirement Income account, a new GESB Super account will be opened for you if a non-government employer contribution is received on your behalf.

Your super accounts 

If you have multiple super accounts, or are unsure how many super accounts you have, you can check your accounts and find any lost super through your myGov account when it is linked to the Australian Tax Office.

In most cases, you can use myGov to consolidate your super into one account.

Before consolidating your super accounts, first consider the potential impacts of consolidation and other factors including:

• administration and investment fees on your overall super
• fees or taxes that may be payable from your member balance to leave a scheme
• that some super schemes cannot be re-joined after the account has been closed
• insurance arrangements provided through your fund.

Please note, most former State public sector employees who have a preserved Gold State Super benefit cannot access or rollover their benefit until they have reached preservation age and have ceased working for the State Government.

If you are unsure what to do, either contact your super fund or seek independent professional advice.

The State Superannuation Act 2000 and State Superannuation Regulations 2001, in conjunction with the relevant Commonwealth legislation, set out the superannuation obligations of public sector employers who pay contributions to either a GESB scheme or another fund of the employee’s choice.

Several employers have a full or partial exemption from the State specific requirements. 

Employers’ general superannuation responsibilities include:

• calculating and making employer contributions for each employee
• being aware of employees’ choice of super entitlements and fulfilling their Choice of super obligations.
   

The Western Australian Government provides a range of superannuation schemes for public sector employees.

The schemes administered by Government Employees Superannuation Board (GESB) include: 

• GESB Super – A taxed accumulation scheme. The open default fund for most State public sector employees since 16 April 2007.
• West State Super – An untaxed* accumulation scheme. The default fund for most State public sector employees effective July 1992 to 15 April 2007, when closed to new members.
• Retirement Income – Allocated Pension – The default scheme when members commence drawing a regular income from their superannuation.
• Retirement Income – Term Allocated Pension – closed to new members in 2007.
• Gold State Super – A voluntary, untaxed* defined benefit scheme. Open to new members from 1987 to 29 December 1995.

* Also known as ‘deferred tax’ because employer contributions, salary sacrifice contributions and investment earnings are taxed (at up to 15%) when benefits are paid or transferred out. In taxed funds, these amounts are taxed when they are credited to the member’s superannuation account.

Untaxed defined benefit pension schemes administered by GESB on behalf of the Department of Treasury include: 

• State Pension Scheme – The State’s lifetime defined benefit pension scheme closed to new members in August 1986.
• Parliamentary Pension Scheme – A lifetime indexed pension for Members of State Parliament, closed to new members in October 2000.
• Judges’ Pension Scheme – A lifetime indexed pension for current and former members of the Western Australian judiciary.

Find out more about the State’s untaxed defined benefit pension schemes. 

The schemes administered by the Fire and Emergency Services Superannuation Board include: 

• FES Super Defined Benefit accounts
• FES Super Accumulation accounts
• FES Super Retained Benefit accounts
• FES Super Account Based Pensions

The Treasurer is responsible for the:

• administration and development of the State’s superannuation legislation and policy;
• prudential oversight and regulation of GESB as its employer sponsor, guarantor and regulator; and
• application of the State’s Heads of Government Agreement with the Commonwealth regarding its superannuation arrangements.

State Superannuation Legislation

• State Superannuation Act 2000 and State Superannuation Regulations 2001
• Parliamentary Superannuation Act 1970
• Judges’ Salaries and Pensions Act 1950
• Fire and Emergency Services Superannuation Act 1985 and Fire and Emergency Services (Superannuation Fund) Regulations 1986
• Coal Industry Superannuation Act 1989 and Coal Industry Superannuation Regulations 2014
   

Prudential oversight and Treasurer's guidelines

The Treasurer is the prudential regulator of the State’s superannuation schemes.

The Treasurer’s Guidelines provide additional support to the guiding legislation and are instrumental in establishing the rules and boundaries for the investment and management of fund assets, and the operation of GESB schemes. 

The established Treasurer’s Guidelines are:

• Treasurer’s Prudential Guidelines for Investments
• Treasurer’s Guidelines for Reserves and the Allocation of Costs
• Treasurer’s Guidelines for Government Employees Superannuation Board Compliance with MySuper

National superannuation standards

Western Australia is a signatory to the Commonwealth’s National Superannuation Standards Heads of Government Agreement, where it has been agreed that the State’s superannuation arrangements will, as far as practicable, conform with the Commonwealth’s retirement incomes policy.