Frequently asked questions

This is a huge question and I think it’s really hard to answer.

We do know that having a supportive line manager is really important.

Recognising individuals all have unique needs and being able to respond with some flexibility is important and being respectful.

Knowledge is power – education, training and empathy.

We don’t...

IUDs are a great form of progestogen to protect the lining of the uterus from the estrogen.

And they are a great contraceptive – which is often still needed in at least the first 12 months of menopause for some women.

You might be asked for the Australian Business Number (ABN) for your super account if you want to link your super to your myGov account.

Each of our schemes has its own ABN, listed below.

Your account

ABN

Scheme name (as shown on MyGov)

GESB Super

82 144 194...

If you’re a GESB Super or West State Super member, you may be able to access your super if you become totally and permanently disabled.

If you're a Gold State Super member, different rules apply for accessing your super. Read our Insurance and your super fact sheet to learn...

Making an after-tax contribution to your super could help you:

• Increase your super balance - rather than relying on the amount your employer contributes, adding to your balance can lead to more money in your super when you retire, depending on market changes, which can impact your balance before and at...

You can add to your super when you can afford to commit to a regular contribution, or whenever you have a one-off lump sum that you'd like to put into super. It’s worth knowing:

• The earlier you start contributing, the more chance your super has to grow
• There are no extra fees...

Your concessional contributions cap is the total amount of before-tax contributions you can make in a financial year before you may have to pay extra tax. If you have a GESB Super account and a West State Super account, or a GESB account and an account with another taxed fund,...

The WA Public Sector Pension Scheme was the WA Government’s original super scheme, and has been closed to new members since 15 August 1986.

This is an untaxed defined benefit pension scheme, which provides a lifetime indexed pension for retired members and their spouses.

For more information about your WA Public Sector...

If you voluntarily withdraw your Gold State Super membership, you cannot re-join the scheme, as it was closed to new members on 29 December 1995.

However, you may apply to continue your Gold State Super membership in either of the following circumstances:

• Your membership ended because you stopped working in the WA...

For us, and other funds that unitise their investments, the risk of unit pricing errors is one of our most significant operational risks. We have robust processes in place to keep any risk of pricing errors to a minimum.

Yes. As unit prices change daily, you can see the unit price history of your investment plan, or any of our other plans, on our unit price page. You can also call us on 13 43 72 for unit pricing information or find step-by-step instructions on

You can stay with GESB, even if you stop working for the WA public sector.

You can choose to have your non-government employer¹ contributions paid to a GESB Super account. Please be aware that only GESB Super can accept employer contributions from employers who are not part of the WA public...

In line with Australian super laws, you generally need to wait until you meet a condition of release (such as turning 60 and retiring) before you can access your super, even if you move overseas.

You could be eligible to access your super if you are a temporary resident permanently leaving...

Your Final Benefit for Gold State Super is based on your years of service and an average of your equivalent full-time remuneration before you stop contributing to your account.

The rules about which payments can be included as part of your remuneration are determined by the provisions of the State Superannuation...

We don’t deduct any charges from your account for administration, insurance or other running expenses. Please see the Gold State Super fees page for more information about fees and other costs.

Your super is likely to be one of your most significant assets, so it’s important to know what will happen to it after you’re gone or if you get injured and are unable to work.

Our schemes are unique and our rules for payment of super benefits after a member's death...

Your Gold State Super account includes automatic death and disability insurance, at no extra cost, for as long as you’re making contributions, and until you turn 60.

You’re covered 24 hours a day, seven days a week, no matter where you are.

Here’s a summary of the insurance...

If you choose to leave the WA public sector before you retire, you can still take advantage of the unique benefits offered by Gold State Super. Your entitlement and benefit options will depend on whether you have turned 55 and reached the Commonwealth preservation age¹.

This page outlines some important information...

Once you've decided when to retire, you also need to choose how you want to take your super money.

How you choose to take your super will depend on whether you're likely to return to work, whether you'd like a regular income from your super and if you'd like to make...

The maximum you can withdraw from your pension is 10% of your account balance, calculated when you first open your account and on 1 July of each year after that. This amount is not pro rata.

Once you have met a condition of release (either permanently retiring or reaching age 65), your maximum pension amount restriction is lifted and you can:

• Continue to receive the income stream
• Withdraw a lump sum
• Roll it back into super

Important note: you need to provide written...

With a transition to retirement strategy, you can access your super as regular income while you’re still working.

Once you’ve reached your Commonwealth preservation age, you can use your super to start a regular pension, such as our Transition to Retirement Pension. This type of pension is known...

When you’re working out how much super you might need when you retire, you might want to think about:

• How your lifestyle and annual expenses will change
• Other income you may receive
• Your partner's income
• The age you will retire
• How long you want your money to last

Try our online tool to help estimate how...

In most cases, you can open an RI Allocated Pension account if:

• You are eligible for an immediate payment of a benefit from your super. You can generally access your super if you meet a condition of release - e.g. you are retiring permanently and have reached your Commonwealth preservation age¹
• You...

No, insurance cover is not provided for Retirement Income Pension members (including RI Allocated Pension and Transition to Retirement Pension).

GESB Super, Retirement Income Pension (including RI Allocated Pension and Transition to Retirement Pension), RI Term Allocated Pension, West State Super and Gold State Super are all complying super funds for taxation purposes.

We believe that taking environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks into account during the investment process can improve returns and reduce risk for our members over the long term. Here’s how we do this:

• Investment strategyWe carry out annual scenario analysis to help understand and assess the potential impact that adverse...

We consider climate-related risk to be a key environmental, social and governance (ESG) factor that could materially impact long-term investment returns. We have integrated this risk into our overall Responsible Investment Policy.

We are committed to transitioning the portfolio towards net zero carbon emissions by 2050, which is consistent with...

An employee can choose a fund as often as they like.

At some point in your working career, you may need to take unpaid leave. Your unpaid leave could impact your super and your insurance cover, depending on the length of time you take and the reason why you take it. On this page you’ll find information about the impact of...