Trips to four Queensland Indigenous communities to support residents’ financial wellbeing has allowed QSuper to help reconnect members with more than $1 million in super.

In the past 18 months, QSuper has travelled to Thursday Island, Doomadgee, Yarrabah and Bamaga to meet face-to-face with around 400 members as well as other community members.

These trips not only helped reconnect individual members with more than $1 million in super, but some community members were also part of 12 Far North Queensland families who were paid more than $1.6 million as beneficiaries of deceased QSuper members.

It’s one way QSuper works to help remote members be confident and in control of their financial wellbeing. COVID-19 impacted on QSuper’s ability to visit communities through much of 2020, but they are expected to resume when possible.

Financial wellbeing in Bamaga

A QSuper team travelled to Bamaga in January 2020 as part of a regional community event to help members with their super and financial wellbeing.

The team provided support with binding death benefit nominations, death benefit claim forms and financial hardship claims forms as well as search for lost superannuation.

“We had members approach us everywhere: under a mango tree, sitting in their cars, in the supermarket, at the airport both flying in and out. Even at the tip of Australia we were handed a member’s details as we were climbing the rock face.” Ronda Lewis, QSuper Member Education Officer

Doomadgee connects with super

During a September 2019 visit to Doomadgee, the QSuper technical advice team helped more than 86 community members.

By helping people to understand their superannuation, the team assisted with early release of super, insurance claims, finding their lost super, and consolidating their super regardless of which super fund a person was a member of.

“While we were there, we saw the challenges that the people in the community face every day. So, we did what we could and we helped anyone who asked us about their super, no matter which super fund they were a member of.” Graeme Marrinan, QSuper technical advice team

NAIDOC week on Thursday Island

As part of NAIDOC week in July 2019, QSuper visited Thursday Island to host a community hub event.

Word quickly spread and more than 200 people arrived for assistance with financial wellbeing.

The team helped a member find an unknown super account and assist another member discover a substantial Accumulation account balance. The team assisted by registering births, consolidating superannuation accounts, and explaining insurance.

“There was a real sense of togetherness where everyone stopped and listened to what was truly important.” Mel Tyne, QSuper corporate social responsibility team

Making a difference in Yarrabah

The QSuper team travelled to Yarrabah for an event organised in November 2019 by the local Aboriginal Shire Council.

They helped a steady flow of people with issues including their super balances, consolidating accounts, and making extra super contributions.

“Everyone there was super friendly and the main conversations I had were around, “what is super?” It was great to educate these members on how it works and when they can access funds.” Jessica Watts, QSuper Contact Centre team

Learn more about connecting with your super here