Queensland firefighter superannuation
Published Wednesday, 16 April, 2008 at 12:10 PM
Minister for Emergency Services
The Honourable Neil Roberts
The Queensland Government respects the role of the men and women who serve with the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service, Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts said.
When a further wage rate increase takes effect on 1 July this year, the wage rates for firefighters and station officers will have increased by about 70% since 1996 – which is approximately 40% above movements in CPI over that time.
The provisions for superannuation are detailed in the 2006 enterprise agreement reached between the United Firefighters’ Union and the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service.
In a ballot of firefighters on this agreement, 91% of votes cast were in favour.
The agreement’s clause 4.3 Occupational Superannuation states: "Effective from 1 July 2006, the employer contribution to employee superannuation shall equal at least 9% of ordinary time earnings as defined by the Superannuation Laws Amendment (2004 Measures No.2) Act 2004. Where the employer contribution is higher, those arrangements will remain in place."
In terms of the specifics of firefighter superannuation, I am advised by the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service that:
The implementation of the 38 hour week was introduced on 25 February 1998, along with a rotating leave roster and it was to be implemented on a cost neutral basis.
Firefighters work on average 42 hours per week on a continuous shift roster. Of that average 42 hours, two hours are recognised in terms of providing firefighters with accrued time to be taken at a later date and an additional two hours is paid for at the rate of time and a quarter and is known as the 38 hour week allowance.
That and the other allowances paid to firefighters are all purpose allowances which are provided to staff on all forms of paid leave.
The 38 hour week allowance is the only one of the various allowances which make up the total rate of remuneration, which is not superannuable. This is the on advice of QSuper, who advised during the initial stages of the implementation of the 38 hour week, that the allowance did not meet their criteria as one which would be permitted to be superannuable.
16 April 2007
Media contact: Kirby Anderson 0418 197 350