We acknowledge the First Nations people as the Traditional Owners of the land we are on today. We acknowledge all Elders, past, present, and emerging. Please be aware this page may include images of people who are no longer alive.

QSuper’s Reconciliation Action Plan

We work towards reconciliation in Australia because we want all of our members across the country to enjoy financial stability now and in their retirement.

Our conversations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and further analysis have led us to focus on key areas for our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) (pdf) where we believe we can make a difference:

  • Improving financial literacy (education about super and finances)
  • Promoting awareness of Australia’s Indigenous people and culture
  • Increasing access to superannuation services and benefits.
Helpping community

Our vision for a better future

We believe in breaking down obstacles so all Australians have fair and equitable access to their super. We believe that engaging with our Indigenous members and community partnerships will help us secure the best possible financial outcomes for everyone.

Find out more about us and who we are and what we stand for at QSuper.

We know that for Indigenous Australians...

1 in 2 experience severe financial stress1
23% less in retirement savings2
77% believe more education is needed3

How we work with Indigenous communities

Helping people access their super when they retire or become unable to work due to disability means they can do more for themselves, their family, and their community. Here's the initiatives we've taken in our reconciliation journey so far.

Visits to remote communities

We visit remote Indigenous communities around Australia to support the financial wellbeing of members and locals. We've connected our members with millions of dollars in lost super.

Advocacy in the super industry

We've advocated to the government for legislation about Torres Strait Islander kinship structures to make it easier for beneficiaries to access super benefits. Since September 2020, Queensland now has the Meriba Omasker Kaziw Kazipa Act 2020.

Websites and webinars

Our Super made easy page, impact partnership with First Nations Foundation’s IndigenousSuper.com.au, and webinars are designed for the people we can't meet in person.

Flexible identity requirements

We've implemented guidelines to accept different forms of identification, such as a letter or statement by a referee, to make super more accessible for people in remote areas who don't have the expected ID documents.

Partnering to make a difference

We've partnered with organisations including First Nations Foundation, Indigenous Youth Leadership Program, AIST's Indigenous Super Working Group, the ATO's Reuniting Super unit, and ASIC’s Indigenous Outreach Program.

Celebrating Indigenous culture

We acknowledge the local Traditional Owners in our events, display Indigenous artworks in our Member Centres, some of us are BlackCard accredited, and we celebrate NAIDOC week and National Reconciliation Week.

Barriers to accessing super in remote communities

  • Many Indigenous communities are several hours’ drive from Australia’s major towns and cities, which makes it hard to access a Justice of the Peace (JP) or get a medical certificate or death certificate.
  • Formal ID documents that the superannuation industry uses and expects are not common in remote communities.
  • Community members can have kinship and family relationships that extend beyond the definition of eligible superannuation dependants.
  • Multiple accounts can be created due to names being spelled different ways and dates of birth being recorded differently.
  • Making a claim for a total and permanent disability super or insurance benefit can be difficult if there's no regular access to a doctor.
  • For people without access to a computer, mobile phone, or the internet, it's difficult to use Member Online or complete required forms/paperwork.
  • Indigenous people may have English as a second or even third language, which can create a language barrier.
Inidigenous
Book

Read our Reconciliation Action Plan

To learn more about reconciliation at QSuper, download our current RAP.

Download 

1. First Nations Foundation, 2019, Money Stories research report conducted in partnership with the Centre for Social Impact and NAB.
2. Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees, 2019, Media release: 'More work needed to improve Indigenous superannuation outcomes: report, Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees', 17 September 2019, at aist.asn.au.
3. Reconciliation Australia, 2018, Australian Reconciliation Barometer.