Super funds urge data sharing framework with Govt agencies

Mike Taylor

Managing Editor and Publisher

15 April 2026

Major industry superannuation funds are seeking to have the Government allow a data sharing framework between super funds and government agencies including the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).

The push for such a framework has been outlined in submission to the current Senate Economics Committee review of the Pay Day Superannuation legislation with retail industry fund REST having also canvassed the proposition in its pre-Budget submission.

While accountants have worried about the preparedness of companies to deal with the pay day super regime, REST pointed to the need for accurate data to enable funds to comply with the required three-day process to allocate or return member contributions.

“This is dependent on data that is complete, accurate and up to date,” REST has told the committee.

“We believe that significant opportunities exist for information sharing between government agencies and super funds,” it said.

“While we note that the new Member Verification Service (MVS) will assist validation of first contributions for a new employee, the ATO has rich and more current member data, including data related to work patterns through Single Touch Payroll reporting, and Services Australia has information on when a member has applied for the Age Pension.

“We believe that future enhancements for efficiency and member transparency are possible by building on these opportunities for improved data-sharing,” the big superannuation fund said.

“As outlined in Rest’s Pre-Budget Submission for the 2026-27 Budget, we recommend the Government initiate consultation regarding a data-sharing framework between government agencies and super funds, including consideration of systems, privacy and security impacts.

“Such a framework should facilitate government sharing relevant and useful data with super funds, seeking to leverage existing data interactions already in place across the system,” the REST submission said.

The Federal Treasury used its submission to the Senate Committee to state that as part of PayDay Super, “ATO systems will be upgraded with enhanced data matching in order to provide better visibility with SG compliance.

“It will allow the ATO to estimate the amount of unpaid SG an employer may owe based on data at the individual employer, employee and fund levels,” it said.