Superannuation

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)

OVERVIEW

This survey collects information on the number and characteristics of persons covered by superannuation schemes. It also provides in less detail information on persons not covered by superannuation schemes who were previously covered.

PURPOSE

The survey provides important data used to monitor trends in superannuation coverage and how people fund their retirement. It is regarded as essential by several government departments their development and monitoring of superannuation and income related policy.

SCOPE

SCOPE - Labour Force Survey

The Labour Force Survey includes all persons aged 15 and over except:

• members of the permanent defence forces;
• certain diplomatic personnel of overseas governments, customarily excluded from census and estimated populations;
• overseas residents in Australia; and
• members of non-Australian defence forces (and their dependants) stationed in Australia.

From July 1993 Jervis Bay Territory is also excluded from the scope of the survey. Before July 1993 it was included in estimates for the Australian Capital Territory.

SCOPE - Superannuation

The scope of this survey was the same as that used for the Labour Force Survey, except that it is restricted to persons aged 15 to 74 years. Students at boarding school, some patients in hospitals and sanatoriums and inmates of reformatories, goals, etc., persons aged 15 to 20 still at school were also excluded.

From July 1997, all supplementary surveys excluded persons in remote and sparsely settled areas of Australia. The exclusion of these persons has only a minor effect on estimates for individual States or Territories.

COVERAGE - Labour Force Survey

In the Labour Force Survey, coverage rules are applied which aim to ensure that each person is associated with only one dwelling, and hence has only one chance of selection. The chance of a person being enumerated at two separate dwellings in the one survey is considered to be negligible.

Persons who are away from their usual residence for six weeks or less at the time of interview are enumerated at their usual residence (relevant information may be obtained from other usual residents present at the time of the survey).

DATA DETAIL

Conceptual framework

Superannuation provides a measure of the number and characteristics of wage and salary earners aged 15 to 74 years who are covered by superannuation schemes.

Main outputs

Results of the survey including data tables and analysis were released in publication format, and include the following tables:

PERSONS AGED 15 - 74

• Labour Force Status, age and whether covered by a superannuation scheme

PERSONS AGED 45 - 74

• Number of superannuation accounts, age and type of superannuation coverage

PERSONS AGED 45 - 74 COVERED BY A SUPERANNUATION SCHEME

• Own weekly contributions to superannuation scheme, whether personally contributing more than required to superannuation scheme
• Expected main source of income after ceasing full-time work, intended disbursement of lump sum payment from superannuation scheme, expected time until ceases full-time work and time in main superannuation scheme.

PERSONS AGED 45 - 74 NOT COVERED BY A SUPERANNUATION SCHEME

• Main source of income when ceased full-time work, disbursement of largest amount of lump sum payment from superannuation scheme and time in previous superannuation scheme.
• Amount of lump sum payment received, whether preserved some funds in a superannuation scheme for future use, age and whether ceased full-time work.
• Main source of income when ceased full-time work, main source of income at time of interview, time since ceased full-time work and whether had changed main source of income since ceased full-time work

EMPLOYED PERSONS AGED 15 - 74

• Summary of characteristics and whether covered by a superannuation scheme
• Proportion covered by a superannuation scheme, industry, occupation and status in employment

EMPLOYED PERSONS AGED 45 - 74 NOT COVERED BY A SUPERANNUATION SCHEME

• Reason not contributing personally to a superannuation scheme, age and status in employment

EMPLOYEES AGED 15 - 74

• Summary characteristics and whether covered by a superannuation scheme
• Summary characteristics and type of superannuation coverage

Demographics: State, Area, Region, Sex, Marital Status, Relationship in Household, Period of Arrival and Age.

Country of Birth: The Standard Australian Classification of Countries (SACC).

Occupation: Australian Standard Classification of Occupations Second Edition (ASCO SE).

Industry: Australia and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC).

Other concepts (summary)

Not applicable

GEOGRAPHIC DETAIL
Australia
New South Wales
Victoria
Queensland
South Australia
Western Australia
Tasmania
Northern Territory
ACT
Part of State Metropolitan
Part of State Extra-Metropolitan

Comments and/or Other Regions

Not all data available for all areas.

COLLECTION FREQUENCY
3 Yearly

Frequency comments

First conducted in February 1974. Discontinued in November 1995.

COLLECTION HISTORY

1974 Publication introduced as a triennial survey. Scope included all persons aged 15 and over and coverage was determined by respondents membership.

1982 Persons aged 15-20 still at school were excluded from the surveys scope. Coverage expanded to include Life assurance.

1988 Further changes to scope, persons aged 75 and over being excluded from the survey. Coverage determined by whether currently contributing to Super scheme.

1995 More detailed information collected from persons aged 45-74 while less detailed information was collected from persons aged 15-44.

DATA AVAILABILITY
Yes

Data availability comments