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Superannuation in Australia refers to the arrangements people make in Australia to accrue funds to replace their income in retirement. Superannuation in Australia is government-supported and encouraged, and minimum provisions are compulsory for employees. Employers are required to pay a proportion on top of an employee's salaries and wages (9.5% as of 1 July 2014) into a superannuation fund, however people are encouraged to further supplement their superannuation. From 1 January 2014, employers are required to pay default contributions to an authorised MySuper product. The minimum obligation required by employers is set to increase from 9% to 12%, gradually increasing annually from 2013. An individual can withdraw funds out of a superannuation fund when the person meets one of the conditions of release contained in Schedule 1 of the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Regulations 1994.〔(Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Regulations 1994 - Schedule 1 ), ''Commonwealth Consolidated Regulations'', www.austlii.edu.au, accessed 3 October 2011.〕 ==Introduction== Before 1976, superannuation arrangements had been in place for many years under industrial awards negotiated by the union movement between wage increases. In 1992, the Keating Labor government introduced a compulsory "Superannuation Guarantee" system as part of a major reform package addressing Australia's retirement income policies. It was calculated that Australia, along with many other Western nations, would experience a major demographic shift in the coming decades, resulting in the anticipated increase in age pension payments placing an unaffordable strain on the Australian economy. The proposed solution was a "three pillars" approach to retirement income: * A safety net consisting of a means-tested Government age pension system * Private savings generated through compulsory contributions to superannuation * Voluntary savings through superannuation and other investments The change came about through a tripartite agreement between the government, employers and the trade unions. The trade unions agreed to forgo a national 3% pay increase which would be put into the new superannuation system for all employees in Australia. This was matched by employers contributions which were set to increase over time to a proposed 12%. Subsequent changes meant this has been capped at the lower employer rate of 9%. Since its introduction, employers have been required to make compulsory contributions to superannuation on behalf of most of their employees. This contribution was originally set at 3% of the employees' income, and has been gradually increased by the Australian government. Since 1 July 2002, the minimum contribution has been set based on an employee's ordinary time earnings and is thus not payable on overtime rates but is payable on remuneration items such as bonuses, commissions, shift loading and casual loadings. Though there is general widespread support for compulsory superannuation today, it was met with strong resistance by small business groups at the time of its introduction who were fearful of the burden associated with its implementation and its ongoing costs.〔Patrick Collinson (2004) (Australia may hold key to pensions ), ''The Guardian'', 12 October 2004, retrieved 21 July 2006.〕 , Australians have over AUD$$2.02 trillion in superannuation assets.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Superannuation Statistics )〕 Compulsory superannuation in combination with buoyant economic growth has turned Australia into a 'shareholder society', where most workers are now indirect investors in the stock market. Consequently, a lively personal investment marketplace has developed, and many Australians take an interest in investment topics. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Superannuation in Australia」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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