Mary Aldred (Monash, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Trevor Colvin was a lion of the Trafalgar community. Trevor was passionate about journalism and rose to serve with distinction at the Age newspaper. In 2023 Trevor relaunched a local paper that had fallen silent, the Traf District News. With every edition, he restored a voice to the town and provided a historical record for its generations to come. Trevor also volunteered at the Traf market, organised music events in the town hall and supported men's mental health. He was a valued member of the Great Latrobe committee. I saw Trevor only recently at the Warragul premiere of Just a Farmer, a film that spoke to the struggles of rural Australians—struggles Trevor genuinely cared about and worked to illuminate. Trevor will be missed by his daughters, Inga and Nareeda, and his wife, Susie, in whose arms he passed just days before their 39th wedding anniversary. Trevor's legacy lives on through his family and the Traf District News.

Helen is a nurse from Warragul who cares for people with cancer at our local hospital. When her husband, Alan, passed away from a long and painful terminal illness last year, it took 256 days for Helen to receive her husband's death benefit from AustralianSuper. After many requests from Helen, AustralianSuper offered her $50.75 in compensation. That's $50.75 for holding over $200,000 for over eight months. Imagine the returns Helen could have received, the interest if she'd stuck that money in the bank. Worse still, Helen's husband Alan wanted to access the terminal illness early payout on that super before he died to gift to his children in person. The emotional toll inflicted on Alan in his final weeks fighting to access his own money is an absolute disgrace by AustralianSuper. Helen has since appealed the $50.75 compensation and been sent another letter from AustralianSuper avoiding any clarification or acknowledgement or the disastrous and distressing handling of her late husband's superannuation.

I have sent letters on behalf of Helen to AustralianSuper. The cold arrogance, the defiance of human decency, is astounding. I have the question if there is a mandated minimum time in which superannuation companies need to pay beneficiaries after a death. The answer from ASIC is no. There is not a mandated minimum. It is as soon as practicable. I believe this should be reviewed. I am pleased that the Minister for Financial Services is in the Chamber to listen to Helen's story. To Helen: I will continue to fight on your behalf, because you deserve so much better.

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