The PANSW is using every available avenue to resolve the Concessional Cap issue for Members.
To read more about the campaign, click the arrows below.
We will update you on progress throughout the campaign.
Fact Sheet - why is this issue so important to police officers?
This issue prevents police officers from saving for their retirement, inflates their assessable income, and denies them access to means tested benefits like parental leave, child care rebates and health rebates.
Click here to read the PANSW Concessional Cap Fact Sheet
President and Commissioner lead a delegation to Canberra
PANSW President Kevin Morton and Commissioner of Police Karen Webb led a delegation to speak to Federal Politicians in Canberra, and tell them its time to fix this issue.
President Morton addressed Federal Parliamentarians from across the political spectrum:
"10 years ago, we were in this very spot with the then Commissioner of Police Andrew Scipione, talking about ways to fix a unique problem that only affects NSW police officers. At the time it only affected senior officers, but as risks in policing have increased the cost of insurance has increased and the impact of those insurance costs has whittled away our members ability to save for their retirement. Worse still, it now impacts on their ability to provide for their families on a day-to-day basis."
"Over the last 10 years we have met with politicians of all political persuasions. We have sought and been given assurances that the issue facing our members will be fixed."
"We are here tonight to say that a solution must be found. It must be found this financial year, and it must be a just outcome for our members."
"NSW Police Officers are not asking for anything more than what every other worker in Australia has. The ability to go to work, earn a fair income, and save for a retirement. They are not asking for a handout or a pay rise, but they are asking that they stop being financially punished just because their job is so dangerous."
"We hope you, our country’s leaders, can all work together to help the Government to deliver a just outcome for the heroes out there keeping is safe. They deserve nothing less."
The permanent solution is clear: the mandatory PBRI contributions by both NSWPF and police officers must be exempt from the Superannuation Concessional Cap.
PANSW launches public social media campaign
With the Federal Government still dragging its feet, the PANSW talk our advocacy public, and exposed the broken promises of the ALP.
You can follow and share the PANSW campaign activity on the Police Association of NSW Facebook
"We will not stand for this" - PANSW Secretary Pat Gooley back in Canberra
PANSW Secretary Pat Gooley was once again in Canberra to tell the Federal Government this issue isn't going away, and neither will the PANSW.
Strange bedfellows but a welcome ally - Senator David Shoebridge joins the campaign
“Our message is very clear, the Federal Government needs to step-up and fix it.” - Greens Senator David Shoebridge backs PANSW campaign.
Greens Senator David Shoebridge and the PANSW haven't always seen eye-to-eye, and had some clashes for the ages when he was in NSW State Parliament.
Mr Shoebridge is now in Federal Parliament, and regardless of history or party politics, he supports the right of police to have protections for them and their family if they are injured, and contribute to their retirement savings.
Mr Shorebridge joined PANSW Secretary Pat Gooley to call for a solution:
PANSW Members get involved in the campaign
PANSW President Kevin Morton shows members how they can support the campaign.
Organisers provided members with Patches and Badges to show the public and the Federal Government what the issue means to them.
PANSW Executive approve industrial action for 30 June
The Police Association of NSW will take industrial action if the Federal Government does not resolve the Concessional Cap problem by 30 June 2023.
Police officers are currently punished by a bureaucratic mess that counts mandatory death and disability insurance as superannuation contributions.
Under the industrial action, from 30 June, NSW police officers will cease any cooperation with Commonwealth Agencies or Departments unless the matter creates a risk to a person's life or physical/psychological welfare.
The PANSW Executive designed industrial action that will not create any inconvenience or risk to the public. They will refuse to do the work of Commonwealth agencies while the Federal Government continues to let officers down.
"This fight is with the Federal Government and Stephen Jones, not the people of NSW. Police officers in NSW have a great relationship with the communities they serve, and we will not impact that relationship in any way," PANSW Secretary Pat Gooley said.
"This is a message to the Federal Government – police officers do a valuable and dangerous job, and your refusal to protect our future is a slap in the face to every man and woman in blue."
Because policing is so dangerous, police officers in NSW are covered by a mandatory Death and Disability insurance policy. That insurance premium is washed through the officers' superannuation account but then taken straight out and paid to the insurance company – the officer does not see a cent; this is simply an arrangement to pay the insurance company.
Despite this, the Federal Government counts that insurance payment as a contribution to the officer's superannuation, preventing them from making any savings for their retirement, falsely inflating their income and tax bills, and denying them means-based support entitlements like parental leave, childcare rebates, child support, and health rebates.
The impact on the financial security of police officers and their families, in particular women with children, is severe and means many will have inadequate superannuation to retire.
"Police aren't asking for a pay rise or a handout – just the same right as every other worker to support their family now and save their own money for retirement."
"The fix to this problem is four simple lines of legislation. Every ALP Member and Senator from NSW has been briefed on this issue for months, and they support the police in their local area, but Stephen Jones refuses to do anything to fix it."
"It's time for the Federal Government to step up and deliver on its promise."
AFP Officers support our industrial action
Our brothers and sisters at the Australian Federal Police Association publicly supported the PANSW industrial action.
The Australian Federal Police Association President Alex Caruana said the Federal Government tends to forget that it has responsibility for all of Australia's law enforcement workforces. The AFPA sees and feels the consequences of this lack of action every day.
"For quite a long time, law enforcement members have been overlooked by the same people they look after — federal politicians, senior public officials, and bureaucrats. They seem quite content for AFP members and other law enforcement officers to take a bullet for them, yet aren't willing to help those same members who struggle financially, physically, mentally and emotionally."
Click here to read the Australian Federal Police Association's media release.
Public support for our industrial action on 2GB Drive with Chris O’Keefe
PANSW Secretary Pat Gooley spoke to 2GB Drive with Chris O’Keefe on Friday about the upcoming police industrial action and how it's not too late to fix this mess.
O'Keefe asked his listeners: “Do you think this is a giant rort? It’s pretty ordinary isn’t it? Insurance premiums going through your super account, then affecting what government subsidies you can get because its classed as income, even though you don’t see a cent of it.”
Click here to listen to the full interview - Friday 16 June 2GB Drive with Chris O'Keefe
7 News coverage of PANSW Industrial Action
Labor's broken promise to fix our super
In 2016, then Labor Leader Bill Shorten wrote to the PANSW promising to fix our super.
Now in Government, four lines of legislation is in the too hard basket.
Click here to read the letter.
PANSW Podcast - Episode 1: Industrial Action Frontline
Labor's broken promise and tales from the frontline of industrial action
In the first episode of the PANSW Podcast, PANSW Secretary Pat Gooley hosts guests Nikki Lucaci and Jon Goddard. They discuss Labor's broken promise, and report back with stories from the frontline of the industrial action.
Australian unions support police industrial action
The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) voted unanimously to support the ongoing police industrial
action.
Paul Farrow, National Secretary of the Australian Workers Union (AWU) spoke in support of the police
industrial action.
“Workers in dangerous occupations deserve the same protections as every other worker. Punishing those
workers because protection is expensive is unfair and unacceptable. Police in NSW deserve to be able to
save for the future like every other worker. The Federal Government didn’t cause this issue, but It’s best
placed to deliver on the promises that have been made to police by previous governments for the last 10
years.”
Commonwealth Public Sector Union (CPSU) General Secretary, Melissa Donnelly also spoke in support.
“The way this system disproportionately impacts policewomen and especially those with families is simply
unacceptable. The Federal Government didn’t cause this issue, but there has been a reasonable solution on
the table for years and the Government should implement the solution urgently.”
Click here to view the ACTU Resolution
Click here to view the PANSW Media Release
PANSW Podcast - Episode 2: The ATO may send you a bill - don't panic
Across NSW our members have started receiving notices from the ATO referencing a breach of their superannuation concessional cap. In this podcast PANSW Secretary Pat Gooley, Assistant Secretary/Industrial Kirsty Membreno and Industrial Officer Leo Solomon discuss the options going forward. Things to think about as we continue to strike for a better outcome.
"It's time to turn up the temperature" - Escalation of Industrial Action
The PANSW President and Secretary addressed your elected Executive Members and outlined the need to escalate industrial action to fix our super.
Industrial action brings all parties to the negotiating table
A roadmap for concessional cap
Members,
You have shown incredible professionalism and commitment in taking industrial action against the Federal Government as part of the Fix our Super campaign.
While the concessional cap issue has not yet been resolved, the industrial action has served its purpose, and it is time to suspend the industrial action.
We have applied significant pressure to the Federal Government and they are now in a dialogue with the State Government. The way forward is the PANSW, State Government and Federal Government negotiate an agreed, tripartite roadmap to resolving the concessional cap issue.
This cannot occur while the industrial action continues.
As highly trained police officers, you know that when circumstances evolve, so too do tactics need to evolve accordingly.
Your elected Executive members passed the following motion:
The Executive of the Police Association of NSW agree to suspend the current Industrial Action against Federal Government agencies, as a show of good faith to continue negotiations at the Federal and State level in relation to the Concessional Cap issue.
This course of action gives us the best opportunity to reach a solution.
The Fix our Super campaign will continue; now in a negotiation phase. While industrial action is suspended, the PANSW will not hesitate to take any other steps necessary to resolve this issue for members.
You will be kept updated as the negotiations progress.
How to lodge your tax reimbursement
The PANSW has produced a step-by-step guide on how to lodge a claim for a concessional tax refund if you exceeded the concessional contributions cap due to the PBRI arrangement.
Concessional Cap Success
Members,
For 12 years the PANSW has never given up the fight to resolve the PBRI concessional cap issue with the State and Federal Governments which affects almost every member including myself and the PANSW Executive. This issue arose in 2011 when the NSW Liberal/National Government enforced wholesale changes to the scheme washing the premiums through superannuation. This was in the face of strong opposition by police officers across the State. This has been a long hard fought campaign involving thousands of members coming together to advocate for change.
Today, I am pleased to announce that the Federal Government has committed temporary financial assistance to NSW Police officers regarding taxation on excess concessional cap contributions. We thank Premier Minns, Minister Catley and Commissioner Webb and her Executive team for assisting in advancing this outcome.
Firstly, the current reimbursement arrangements when you exceed the concessional cap will continue in its current form for any affected member
Additionally, the Commonwealth assistance being announced includes:
- Continuing to reimburse officers for tax on voluntary superannuation contributions that exceeds the concessional cap due to insurance premiums being paid through superannuation and;
- Providing a single lump sum payment to eligible low – middle- income officers (those with an adjusted taxable income up to $135,000) who exceed the concessional cap. This will compensate serving officers for the reduced eligibility of Commonwealth means tested payments due to the impact of the PBRI scheme.
- The cost of payments would be covered solely by the Commonwealth.
- Support would cover low-middle- income officers who exceeded the concessional contributions cap and can choose support in either 2023/2024 or 2024-2025 (provided their adjusted taxable income in the relevant year is below the threshold). Officers would be limited to a single payment regardless of whether they were eligible in both years. The single payment would be made up of:
- A $1,500 after tax payment for all eligible officers; and
- A $1,000 after tax payment for eligible officers with one or more children in childcare.
- The income test will apply to officers alone, it will not include income of their partners as is normally the case for the Commonwealth means tested support.
PANSW is continuing to work with NSWPF on a long-term solution. This is a large piece of work that is actively underway and will be incorporated in the 2024 Award MoU.
For FY 24/25 police officers in NSW will now:
- properly record their actual income earned, not an inflated amount adversely impacting on means-tested Government benefits
- be able to contribute to their superannuation and their retirement with a concessional cap limit of $30,000 which has been increased from $27,500
- be able to access future unused concessional cap amounts
Over the last 12 years we have seen inaction from the State Government that implemented this scheme and broken promises from the former Federal Government. Commonwealth Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones MP engaged around this issue. Whilst it has taken some time to resolve he has today put an end to this issue for police in NSW and for that he is thanked.