We have been attempting to address the application of cost-of-living adjustments in a fair and equitable manner to all GSF and NPF annuitants. We believe that the present situation seriously affects a small group of annuitants, many of whom are elderly women who can least afford to be disadvantaged.

We made significant progress on this issue in 2018.  On 3 July, Janice Campbell, GSA President, presented the GSA petition on behalf of 3783 GSA signatories to Greg O'Connor on 3 July 2018.  

In November 2018, representatives of the GSA met with the Finance & Expenditure Select Committee and discussed the petition.

Committee Findings:  In May 2019, the Committee reported back, agreeing that the 2009 legislation intended to achieve 100% indexation but used a different formula than previous versions. They recommended the Government consider options to address the resultant lesser payments.

Unfortunately, despite several letters to the Minister of Finance over recent years, we have been unable to achieve a resolution to this issue. While the concerns raised by affected annuitants remain valid and pressing, the Government has made it clear that it does not intend to revisit the matter at this time.

In light of this, the Board has decided to pause any further action for now. However, the Cola inequity remains a priority for the Association and continues to sit firmly within our Strategic Plan. The Board intends to resume advocacy when there is a more favourable opportunity to progress.

The main outstanding anomaly in the schemes is the fixed annuity reduction imposed in 1990 in substitution for tax, taking full effect in 1999.

[At the 2016 Council it was agreed that this issue would no longer be pursued.  For a number of years the GSA has expended considerable effort on this cause and has made no progress.  It is not expected that this situation will change in the near future.  This is not to say that the matter may not be resurrected should circumstances change.  This subject has been removed from the Strategic Plan and is no longer on the Board agenda.]

In August 2016, the GSA successfully won a case on behalf of a pre-annuitant member at the Government Superannuation Appeals Board who was challenging the GSFA on their interpretation of what elements of his salary package were eligible for superannuation.

In January 2015 we canvassed members on the subject of the GSF Employer’s Contribution and how this was handled by current employers. The evidence that we gathered showed us that the matter of the employer’s contribution and how it is dealt with depends very much on the employer. We have noticed a growing tendency for employees to be on "total remuneration" packages and to have all or part of the employer’s contribution included in their remuneration package. This can mean that any movement in the employer’s contribution has a net effect on take home salary. This practice appears commonplace, but by no means universal. There are a number of employers who are quite happy to continue as in the past, and there are still many employees protected from this practice by collective employment agreements.