Eumundi Voice Magazine

Eumundi Voice

10 hours ago

From 1 July 2026 employers will be required to pay employees’ super at the same time as their salary and wages, replacing the current quarterly payment model. Under the new Payday Super rules, employers must align Superannuation Guarantee (SG) payments with each pay cycle. This means super contributions must be:
◼️ Calculated as 12% of an employee’s qualifying earnings (QE). QE is a new term that combines ordinary time earnings (OTE) and various other payments that are currently included in salary or wages for super. It includes OTE, salary sacrifice contributions and any additional relevant earnings.
◼️ Paid to the employee’s superannuation fund on payday, and
◼️ Received by the fund within 7 business days, unless a longer timeframe applies (e.g. for new starters).
Employers can request an employee’s stapled super fund from the ATO and offer this alongside the standard super choice form. If an employee does not nominate their own fund, the stapled fund must be used. Both qualifying earnings and super liability will need to be reported through Single Touch Payroll (STP).
Payday-aligned super payments will give employees more frequent visibility of their super contributions, helping them better track their entitlements and maximise long-term earnings through more regular fund investment.
To prepare for the transition, employers should:
◼️ Review and update payroll systems to support payday-based SG payments. Most major payroll platforms (e.g. Xero, MYOB, QuickBooks) already provide functionality aligned with these requirements.
◼️ Plan and adjust cash flow to accommodate more frequent payments. The 7 business day payment window applies regardless of whether employees are paid weekly, fortnightly or monthly.
◼️ Stay informed via the ATO website or their tax advisers.
If SG contributions are not paid on time employers will incur the Superannuation Guarantee Charge (SGC), which includes the unpaid super contribution amount, interest and an administration fee. Additional penalties may apply, set at 25% or 50% of the unpaid SGC depending on prior compliance history.
The Small Business Superannuation Clearing House will close on 30 June 2026. All existing users must transition to another method for making super payments before this date. ... See MoreSee Less

Eumundi Voice

1 day ago

On 28 April 1770 English explorer Captain James Cook landed at Botany Bay, becoming the first European to do so. However, he was not the first European to step onto Australian soil.
In the early 1600s, the Dutch East India Company operated in the waters around Indonesia. Several Dutch ships were blown off course and made landfall on parts of Australia, including the west coast of Cape York Peninsula and the north-west coastline. In 1642, Dutch explorer Abel Tasman reached the Tasmanian coast. Despite these discoveries Dutch interest in Australia faded, as the Dutch East India Company declined as a trading and sea power by the late 17th century.
As a result, Australia’s east coast remained largely uncharted until Cook arrived in 1770. During the 1700s and early 1800s, France sent numerous scientific and commercial expeditions to the Indian and Pacific Oceans, attempting to solve the mystery of the legendary Terra Australis Incognita. France and Britain had a strong rivalry as both nations also attempted to establish new trade opportunities.
In 1769, just 5 months before Cook’s landing, French explorer Jean François Marie de Surville sailed close to Sydney, but decided not to explore signs of land and sailed on to New Zealand.
In 1785, when French King Louis XVI heard that the British had sent Arthur Phillip with a load of prisoners to settle in Botany Bay, he ordered French explorer Comte de la Pérouse to get there first. La Pérouse arrived on 24 January 1788, only days after Phillip and the First Fleet. He stayed for 6 weeks before sailing to New Caledonia, never to be seen again. By just a few days, European settlement in Australia could have been French instead of English. ... See MoreSee Less

Eumundi Voice

1 day ago

It's interesting to compare women living today with women in other cultures and their experience of perimenopause. It appears that in modern day living, women are far more likely to experience symptoms. So what are we doing differently, and what can we learn to change our experience of perimenopause and menopause?
In the media and from patients I see in clinic, I often hear the question, "Is this a symptom of perimenopause?" Many women find themselves questioning every new sensation or asking, “What can I do to prevent ageing?” This can reflect a deeper worry about what this transition involves, and an associated fear of ageing.
In Japan, they have a term Konenki, which describes the menopausal transition and translates to "the renewal years" or "turning point of life energy”. It frames this stage as a time of recalibration and empowerment rather than decline – shifting the perspective to something we can embrace rather than dread.
It is true of many cultures that menopause is accepted as a natural stage of ageing, rather than something going wrong or a problem to correct. There is often an associated change in social status. In many African cultures, menopause is not viewed as a disease but a rite of passage. In communities such as the Batlokwa, menopause is celebrated by women joining a group of older females, often accompanied by music, dance, and the bestowal of a new name (leina la bokgekelo)
In addition to ceremony and ritual, traditional approaches to perimenopause relied on community support and medicinal herbs. As a naturopath, the herbal medicine I use today draws deeply on traditional knowledge, combined with modern science, to deliver safe and natural protocols to assist women with their symptoms and wellbeing. The supportive role of a caring practitioner, whether a naturopath, GP, traditional Chinese medicine or other health practitioner, is important for everyone. Don't hesitate to reach out if you need it. ... See MoreSee Less