Shadowing Practice: Superannuation Explained - What Every Worker in Australia Must Know | Learn Australian English - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Liz, I just got my first payslip in Australia.
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And I am confused.
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It says my salary is one amount, but the money in my bank account is less than I expected.
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And then there is this separate line at the bottom that says, super, 12%.
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Where is that money going?
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Jack, that money is not lost.
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That money is yours.
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It is going somewhere very specific.
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And when you understand what it is, you will actually be really glad it exists.
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So my employer is just.. keeping it?
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No, your employer is putting it aside for your future.
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It is called superannuation and it is one of the most important financial systems in Australia.
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Get it right.
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And it could be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars by the time you retire.
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Hundreds of thousands?
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Hundreds of thousands.
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And most people, especially new workers, never think about it until it is too late.
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So today, we are going to make sure that is not you.
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And we are going to tell you about the super mistake that costs Australians billions of dollars every single year.
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Billions with a B.
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We will get to that in segment three.
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Do not go anywhere.
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Hi everyone, I'm Liz and welcome to Learn Australian English.
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Today we are covering a topic that affects every single person who works in Australia, superannuation, or as Australians call it, super.
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And I'm Jack.
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Now, this episode is about money, but it is also about language, because superannuation has its own vocabulary,
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its own system, and its own rules.
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And if you do not understand the words, you cannot understand the system.
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So, we are teaching you both today.
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Whether you are brand new to Australia, already working here, or thinking about moving here for work,
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this episode could genuinely be one of the most financially important things you watch.
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Stay with us all the way to the end, because the information in segment four is something most people in Australia do not know about,
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and it could affect you directly.
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Let's start at the very beginning.
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What is superannuation?
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Superannuation, or super, is Australia's compulsory retirement savings system.
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The word comes from the Latin word meaning over and beyond, because it is designed to provide for you over and beyond your working years.
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In simple terms, every time you get paid, your employer must put an extra percentage of your salary into a special savings account on your behalf.
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This account is called your super fund, and that money sits there, growing over time, until you retire.
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The amount your employer must contribute is set by the government and is called the super annuation guarantee, or the SG rate.
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As of 1st July 2026, the SG rate is 12%.
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This means if you earn $1,000 in a pay period, your employer must put an additional $120 into your super fund.
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This is on top of your salary, not taken from it.
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Wait, so it is extra money?
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It is not coming out of my pay?
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Correct.
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The superannuation guarantee is an employer obligation, an additional cost on top of your salary.
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However, when you see a job advertised and it says the salary is,
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for example, $70,000 plus super, that means the salary is $70,000 and super is paid on top.
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If a job says $70,000 inclusive of super, that means your actual take home will be less because the super comes out of the total package.
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Always check which one applies to your job offer.
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That is a really important distinction.
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So plus super means more money.
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Inclusive of super means the super comes from inside the total.
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Got it?
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Exactly.
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And the money in your super fund is invested.
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It goes into things like shares, property and bonds.
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So it grows over time.
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The longer it sits there, the more it grows.
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This is called compound interest.
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Your money earns returns, and those returns also earn returns.
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Over a working lifetime, the effect is extraordinary.
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Now, here is something that surprises most new workers in Australia.
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You actually get to choose which super fund your money goes into.
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It is not decided for you.
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And that choice matters a lot more than most people realise.
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Here is why.
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There are hundreds of super funds in Australia, but they fall into a few main categories.
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The first is industry super funds.
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These are run to benefit members, not to make a profit for shareholders.
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They were originally set up for specific industries, like construction or healthcare.
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But most are now open to anyone.
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Examples include Australian Super, Host Plus and Aware Super.
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The second type is Retail Super Funds.
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These are run by financial institutions like banks and investment companies.
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They often have more investment options and features, but they can also charge higher fees.
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The word fee here means the cost the fund charges you for managing your money.
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The third type, for the financially adventurous, is a self-managed super fund or SMSF.
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This is where you manage and invest your own super money yourself.
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It comes with much more control, but also much more responsibility and legal obligation.
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It is generally only worth considering if you have a significant amount of super already.
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So, how do you choose?
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What should you look for?
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Three things.
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Fees.
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Lower fees mean more of your money stays invested and growing.
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Investment performance.
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How well has the fund grown members' money over the past five and ten years? And insurance.
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Most super funds automatically include life insurance, income protection insurance, and total and permanent disability insurance.
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The level of cover varies between funds.
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The Australian government has a website called ATO, the Australian tax office, and a comparison tool called Your Super,
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which lets you compare funds side by side.
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It is free and genuinely useful.
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And a very important phrase to know, if you start a new job and you do not choose a super fund, your employer will put your super into what is called a default fund.
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A default fund is the fund your employer has nominated.
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It may or may not be the best option for you.
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You always have the right to choose your own.
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OK.
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I promised you the mistake that costs Australians billions of dollars every year.
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Here it is.
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It is called Lost Super.
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And it might be happening to you right now.
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Lost super?
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What does that mean?
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When you change jobs, which most Australians do multiple times across their career, some people accidentally end up with multiple super accounts.
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One from their first job.
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One from their second.
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One from a casual job in their twenties.
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Each account charges its own fees.
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Each has its own insurance premiums.
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And over time, those fees eat away at the balance until the account shrinks to almost nothing.
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This is called lost super.
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And the Australian Tax Office estimates there is over $17 billion in lost and unclaimed super sitting forgotten in accounts across Australia.
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$17 billion sitting there unclaimed?
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$17 billion.
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You can check if any of it is yours by logging into myGov, Australia's government online portal, and linking your ATO account.
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It will show you every super account ever opened in your name.
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If you have multiple accounts, you can consolidate them.
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That means merge them all into one.
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One account.
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One set of fees.
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One growing balance.
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That is genuinely important.
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Now, apart from your employer contributions, is there anything you can do yourself to grow your super faster?
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Yes.
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And this is called salary sacrifice.
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Salary sacrifice means you voluntarily put extra money from your own pay into your super before tax is calculated.
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This is a tax advantage because super contributions are taxed at only 15%,
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which for most working Australians is lower than their regular income tax rate.
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So by salary sacrificing, you pay less tax and grow your super at the same time.
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And what about insurance?
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You mentioned that super funds include insurance.
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Most super funds automatically include three types of insurance.
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Life insurance, which pays a benefit to your family if you die.
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Total and Permanent Disability Insurance, or TPD, which pays a lump sum if you become permanently unable to work.
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And Income Protection Insurance, which pays a regular income if you are temporarily unable to work due to illness or injury.
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This insurance is generally cheaper through your super fund than buying it privately.
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And the premiums come out of your super balance automatically.
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So your super is actually doing several jobs at once.
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Saving for retirement and providing insurance protection.
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Exactly.
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It is one of the most comprehensive financial systems in the world.
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Which is why understanding it matters so much.
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Now the most common question.
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When can I actually access my super?
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The general rule is that you can access your super when you reach your preservation age and retire.
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The preservation age is currently 60 for most Australians.
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After age 60, if you have retired, you can access your super tax-free.
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Tax-free?
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Meaning you do not pay any tax on the money when you take it out?
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Correct.
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After age 60 and retirement, your super withdrawals are completely tax-free.
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You can take it as a lump sum, all at once, or as a regular pension payment.
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A pension here means a regular income paid to you from your super fund during retirement.
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What about special circumstances?
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Are there situations where you can access super before retirement?
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Yes, there are a few.
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Under severe financial hardship, for certain medical conditions.
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And there is also the First Home Super Saver Scheme, or the FHSS.
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This allows first home buyers to make voluntary contributions into their super and then withdraw them,
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along with associated earnings, to use as part of their home deposit.
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It is a government incentive to help people save for their first home using the tax advantages of super.
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And now, the information I think a lot of viewers have been waiting for.
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happens to your super if you are on a temporary visa and you leave Australia permanently.
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This is incredibly important for anyone on a working holiday visa, student visa or temporary skilled visa.
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If you leave Australia permanently and your visa has expired or been cancelled,
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you can claim your super back through what is called a Departing Australia Superannuation payment or DASP.
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You apply online through the ATO after leaving Australia.
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The payment will have a withholding tax applied, meaning the government takes a portion, but you receive the rest.
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Do not leave Australia without knowing this exists.
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So if you worked in Australia on a visa, your super does not just disappear when you leave.
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You can claim it back.
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You can claim it back.
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And many people simply do not know this and leave thousands of dollars behind.
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Tell everyone you know about this.
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Let's bring it all together.
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Super is your compulsory retirement savings.
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Your employer must contribute 12% of your earnings on top of your salary.
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You choose which super fund it goes into.
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Look at fees, investment performance and insurance.
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Click MyGov for lost super and consolidate any old accounts.
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Consider salary sacrifice to grow your super and reduce your tax.
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And understand your access rules, generally from age 60 at retirement, tax free.
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And if you are on a temporary visa and planning to leave Australia, claim your super back through a DASP application on the ATO website.
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Do not leave that money in Australia.
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This episode has given you the language and the knowledge to take your super seriously from day one.
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And that knowledge is genuinely worth a lot of money over the course of your working life.
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How did you find this episode?
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Was it helpful and informative?
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Are there any other specific topics you would like us to cover?
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Drop it in the comments below.
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And remember, please like and subscribe to this channel.
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We regularly cover everything you need to know about life, work and language in Australia.
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Take care of your super.
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Your future self will thank you.
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Understanding Superannuation: A Key Topic for Aussie Workers & English Learners
Imagine starting your first job in Australia, opening your payslip, and seeing a line labeled "super"—confusing, right? The video breaks down this critical financial system while teaching everyday English. Whether you’re new to Australia or brushing up on local terms, this conversation is packed with practical language and real-world knowledge. Let’s dive into how to learn from it!
Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication
- "Superannuation guarantee (SG rate)": The mandatory percentage employers contribute to your retirement fund. Example: "The SG rate will rise to 12% by 2026."
- "Take home pay": The money you receive in your bank account after deductions. Example: "My take home pay is less than my salary because of taxes."
- "Inclusive of": Including something. Example: "The $70k salary is inclusive of super, so I won’t get extra."
- "On top of": In addition to. Example: "Employers pay super on top of your salary."
- "Retirement savings system": A plan to save money for when you stop working. Example: "Australia’s super system helps people save for retirement."
Step-by-Step Shadowing Guide to Master This Video
Shadowing—repeating speech immediately after the speaker—is a powerful way to improve English pronunciation and fluency. Here’s how to tackle this video:
- Listen once for context: Focus on the conversation flow. Notice how Liz and Jack explain superannuation in simple terms.
- Pick short segments: Start with 5-10 second clips (like "That money is yours. It is going somewhere very specific"). Use a shadowing app or site to pause and repeat.
- Copy tone and rhythm: Australians often speak with a relaxed rhythm. Mimic Liz’s clear explanation and Jack’s curious questions. Pay attention to stress on words like "super" and "retirement."
- Practice tricky phrases: Words like "superannuation" can be tough. Break it into syllables: "su-per-an-nu-a-tion." Repeat using shadow speech until it feels natural.
- Connect language to meaning: As you shadow, think about what each phrase means. This helps you remember both the words and their real-world use.
With consistent practice, you’ll not only understand superannuation but also sound more confident in English. Ready to start? Grab your phone, find a shadowing site, and let’s get shadowing—your future self (and your super fund) will thank you!
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is not lost · is called · is designed |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | has nominated · have retired · has expired |
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.