This was an Australian
Morrison Coalition Government announcement mentioned in the media on 19 November 2018:
“Women experiencing domestic and family violence will now
also be able to apply for early access to part of their superannuation to help
cover the significant costs of rebuilding their lives….Good Shepherd
Microfinance’s No Interest Loan scheme will help women at risk of domestic
violence access finance when they most need it, without high interest holding
back their financial recovery into the future. The loans will be able to assist
with relocation, essential household items, rental bonds, or, where appropriate,
debt consolidation….” [Australian Government “Women’s
Economic Security Statement”, excerpt, November 2018]
Bearing in
mind that although the husband’s superannuation entitlements are considered property of the marriage these funds cannot be anticipated ahead of any court sanctioned
property settlement in a divorce.
This was the
situation in June 2018 according to the Australian Government Workplace
Gender Equality Agency:
Women comprise 47.0% of
all employed persons in Australia; 25.0% of all employed persons are women
working full-time, and 21.9% are women working part-time.
Women constitute 36.7%
of all full-time employees and 69.0% of all part-time employees.
Average superannuation
balances for women at retirement (aged 60-64) are 42.0% lower than those for
men.
* Looking at all females aged 15 years and over the superannuation balance
averaged out at $68,499 per person.
* Only 16 per cent of females had superannuation balances of over
$100,000.
* When it came to all women aged 30-35 years of age the superannuation
balance averaged out at $33,750 per person.
* However, 32.7 per cent of all females in the workforce reported
they had no superannuation at all. That’s an estimated 2 million women Australia-wide.
When it comes to that 2 million women without super it is probably safe to assume that; a) the majority form part of the casualised workforce; b) most receive the minimum wage or less; and c) a significant number live in regional and rural areas.
A good many may also be from socially marginalised groups.
Somehow I can’t
quite see that a woman being able to access part of her superannuation, or in
lieu of super being able to take out a meagre $1,500 interest free loan which has to
be repaid, as being of much assistance when fleeing life-threatening violence.
Not while first
contact domestic violence services she attempts to access - along with DV emergency accommodation - are so
chronically under resourced across the country.
A word of advice to the Morrison Government from Fiona the Bettong; Just shut up about it and fund it - just do your job and fund it - we know your every word is a lie so shhhhh just fund it.
Looking straight at you, Nationals MP for Page Kevin Hogan. Act like a real man and get domestic violence services in the Northern Rivers region more funding - structured to increase annually - guaranteed for the next ten years.
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