Payday super now in effect – but are Aussies aware?

Yasmine Raso

Senior Journalist

1 July 2026

New research commissioned by the Super Members Council (SMC) has renewed calls for Australians to check their superannuation and engage more with their fund as many remain unaware that payday super comes into effect from today.

Approximately 47 per cent of survey respondents said they were not aware of payday super, and a further 12 per cent had not been paid super at some point during their working lives.

This comes as more than 70 per cent agree that payday super will help to keep track of whether their super is being paid correctly and more than 50 per cent said the reform has encouraged them to check their super more regularly.

Modelling conducted by the SMC found that approximately 25 per cent of working Australians have been underpaid or not paid superannuation, with the total “scourge” amounting to around $6 billion per year.

“Unpaid super is like a silent pay cut costing Australian workers billions each year and leaving some working Australians thousands of dollars worse off in retirement,” the Council’s CEO, Misha Schubert, said.

“Payday super is a gamechanger that will help stamp out the scourge of unpaid super, but right now too many Australians don’t know it’s about to start.

“That’s why it’s a hugely important reminder for people to start checking their super regularly — because every dollar paid on time today can make a big difference at retirement.”

Big industry super fund CBUS also noted that the payday super reforms would deliver a significant boost to retirement savings as they compound over time.

“CBUS has been campaigning for this change for a long time because we know unpaid super is a persistent problem across the building and construction industry,” CBUS Super Chief Strategy Officer, Bernie Dean, said.

“This matters to our members more than most; they deserve to know their super is landing on time which means more time for it to compound and grow.

“The knock-on effects of unpaid super can be disastrous, especially for our members in hazardous occupations when it could cost their insurance cover.

“CBUS is here to grow members’ retirement savings, but also to provide the safety net they need to protect themselves and their families in case of accident or injury.”

According to CBUS, it has managed to recover around $1 billion in unpaid super for its members – including 29,000 under the age of 35 – in the 10 years to June 2025, with $200 million recovered just in the 2024-2025 financial year.

“Payday Super will become another key pillar in our world-leading compulsory superannuation system and will help Australian workers retire with dignity and security,” Dean said.

“CBUS has been working with employers to help prepare them for the introduction of Payday Super and ensure the change is a smooth one.”

Both the SMC and CBUS signalled their support for the Australian Taxation Office’s (ATO’s) staggered approach to enforcing the new payday super legislation on employers in the first 12 months of transition, with new penalties for missed, late or underpaid super contributions, including interest on shortfalls and additional penalties for repeat offenders.

“For employers making this transition, we appreciate the scale of the task and that’s why we support the ATO’s graduated approach on enforcement in the first 12 months,” Schubert said.