The Fair Work Commission has recently updated 125 modern awards to reflect changes within the superannuation industry.

Over time, a number of super funds listed in awards have merged, closed, or changed names. This created inconsistencies between award wording and the funds that are currently active and available.

This review was undertaken to ensure that default fund lists in awards remain accurate, relevant, and easy for employers and payroll teams to apply.

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What Has Changed

The update is primarily administrative and focused on accuracy.

Outdated fund names have been removed
Some super funds previously listed in awards no longer exist in their original form. These have now been removed to avoid confusion.

Current fund names have been added
Awards now reflect the correct, active super funds that can be used where an employee has not nominated their own fund.

Default fund lists are now consistent
This improves clarity for employers and payroll teams when setting up new employees and managing super contributions.

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What Has Not Changed

Importantly, this update does not change any core superannuation obligations.

There have been no changes to:

– Super Guarantee rates

– Employer obligations

– Timing of super payments

No other elements of the superannuation clauses within modern awards were altered as part of this review.

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What This Means for Business Owners

For most businesses, this update will not impact how super is calculated or paid.

However, it may affect the default super fund name referenced in your award.

Where an employee does not choose their own super fund, employers must continue to use the default fund specified in the relevant award.

Because some of these fund names have now been updated, it is a good opportunity to review:

– Onboarding documentation

– Employment contracts

– Payroll software settings

In our experience, outdated fund names often remain in payroll systems long after changes occur. While this may not immediately cause issues, it can lead to confusion when onboarding new employees or processing super contributions.

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Practical Next Steps

This is not an urgent change, but it is a sensible one to address as part of maintaining clean and compliant payroll systems.

A simple review can:

– Ensure the correct default fund is being applied

– Remove outdated or redundant fund references

– Improve clarity and consistency in your payroll processes

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Need Support?

If you’re unsure whether your payroll setup reflects current award requirements, it may be worth having it reviewed.

At Astute Business Consultants, we regularly help businesses ensure their payroll systems are accurate, compliant, and aligned with current legislation – without overcomplicating the process.

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Source: Fair Work Ombudsman – Changes to default super funds in awards