News & Media
Media Statements & Releases
First Super innovates to grow and evolve
July 1st, 2020
High-performing industry super fund First Super has broadened its public offering with a new exclusive partnership to promote its capacity to accept KiwiSaver transfers for New Zealanders moving to and living in Australia. The agreement is with the respected and well-established firm NZRelo, the premier provider of relocation and migration advice and information for people […]
Beware “early access to super” scammers
April 15th, 2020
First Super is warning people to be aware of a new scam that started after the Federal Government’s announcement to allow early access to super to help people through the COVID-19 crisis. Eligible super fund members will be able to access up to $10,000 of their superannuation savings before 1 July 2020, and another […]
Working families to lose if MPs win on plan to cut super
September 13th, 2019
Australian families will stand to lose nearly $250,000 in retirement savings if the push to cut the super increase by a group of backbench MPs is successful, new analysis reveals. Some Federal backbenchers want the Government to cut the promised increased in super contributions, breaking a key election promise and denying local families the retirement […]
First Super members benefit from strong long-term results
August 27th, 2019
First Super has again delivered strong long-term results for members, with an annual return for the 2018/19 financial year of 6.70% for its default option, and five and ten-year returns of 8.68% and 8.84% respectively. First Super is the industry super fund for workers in the timber, pulp and paper, and furniture and joinery industries. […]
Robyn Burns welcomed as new director at First Super, as board veteran Allan Stewart stands down
May 30th, 2019
First Super has appointed regional businesswoman Robyn Burns to its board, effective from 1 July 2019. Ms Burns has had a long and successful career as a senior executive at Borg Manufacturing. An accountant by trade, she has overseen the expansion of Borg as it has developed into one of the principal employers on the […]
First Super wins Money Magazine award
November 29th, 2018
First Super is celebrating after being named a Gold Winner in Money Magazine’s Best of the Best 2019 awards. The national industry super fund for the furniture and joinery, pulp and paper, and timber sectors won the Best Capital Stable Super Fund category for its Conservative Balanced option. In addition, the Fund scored second place in […]
Small is beautiful: First Super outperforms funds 50 times larger
August 30th, 2018
First Super has delivered another year of robust investment performance for its members, reporting annual returns of 10.68% in the Balanced (default) option, 11.90% in Growth, and 13.91% in Shares Plus*. First Super’s cash option also performed strongly, returning 2.31% over 2017/18. The Growth option return saw First Super outperform most other superannuation funds in […]
Message from the CEO – Royal Commission
August 6th, 2018
“You may have heard or read that the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry begins its superannuation-focused hearings in Melbourne on 6 August. First Super has not been called to give evidence at the hearings. “Ahead of the hearings, the Royal Commission asked First Super (along with other financial […]
Latest News
Government prepares to make second household support payment
July 8th, 2020
The Government is scheduled to make its second $750 payment on 10 July as part of its measures to support households to manage the economic impact of the Coronavirus. This payment is expected to be made to around 5 million social security, veteran and other income support recipients and eligible concession card holders. Around half […]
Getting active and staying online webinars
July 8th, 2020
Spotting online scams and connecting to others are the upcoming topics in the “Be connected” webinars that will run next week. Provided the Australian Government’s eSafety Commissioner, the free online workshops aim to help older people improve their computer skills and stay safe online. Australians aged over 55 lost more than $50 million to scammers […]
New early release scams fact sheet
July 8th, 2020
The government has produced a new fact sheet to warn super fund members about how scammers are taking advantage of its temporary early release of superannuation measures. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) fact sheet shares details of a range of phishing scams and cold-call tactics that con artists are using to steal money […]
Government changes affecting retirees
July 8th, 2020
We would like to remind you of some Government changes around the age pension and superannuation drawdown. As part of the Federal Government’s economic response to the COVID-19 crisis, announced on Sunday 22 March, it stated changes to how pension income will be assessed to reflect the current interest rate environment and the impact of […]
ATO warns of fines for fraudulent early access of super
July 7th, 2020
Coinciding with the start of stage two of the temporary early release of superannuation scheme, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has warned it will fine people who deliberately misuse the system to access their retirement savings early. The ATO published a new COVID-19 early release of super – integrity and compliance webpage last week. This […]
New Income Budget Calculator
July 7th, 2020
First Super has launched a new calculator tool to help members better manage their finances if their income is reduced or stops unexpectedly. With the coronavirus pandemic affecting a wide range of sectors and businesses, many people have had their working hours reduced, their overtime stopped, or been made redundant. The Federal Government is expected […]
5 tips to prepare your 2019/20 tax return
July 6th, 2020
The last financial year was anything but normal and made life a little (or a lot) different for all of us. Keeping those unusual circumstances in mind is important now that it’s tax time. If the summer bushfires or coronavirus affected your pay, work circumstances or outgoings in the 2019/20 financial year, read on about […]
New partnership increases options for members from NZ
July 2nd, 2020
First Super is making it easier for New Zealand migrants to transfer their KiwiSaver balances to Australia and benefit from tax savings on their retirement savings under a new partnership with NZRelo. Your super fund has agreed an exclusive three-year partnership from 1 July 2020 to promote its superannuation services to NZRelo community members, including […]