{"id":"F2006B00317","name":"Superannuation (CSS) Approved Authority Declaration 1995","slug":"superannuation-css-approved-authority-declaration-1995","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":"213 of 1995","makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":40600,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2006B00317-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-01","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Name of Declaration","content":"#### 1 Name of Declaration\n\n  This Declaration is the Superannuation (CSS) Approved Authority Declaration 1995.","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"2","sectionType":"section","heading":"Authority","content":"#### 2 Authority\n\n  This instrument is made under paragraph (a) of the definition of approved authority in subsection 3(1) of the Superannuation Act 1976.","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"3","sectionType":"section","heading":"Interpretation","content":"#### 3 Interpretation\n\n  In this Declaration, unless the contrary intention appears:\n\n> the Act means the Superannuation Act 1976.","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"4","sectionType":"section","heading":"Approved authorities","content":"#### 4 Approved authorities\n\n  Each of the following authorities or bodies is declared, under paragraph (a) of the definition of approved authority in subsection 3 (1) of the Act, to be an approved authority for the purposes of the Act:\n  Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority\n  Airservices Australia\n  Australian Broadcasting Corporation\n  Australian Capital Territory\n  Australian Hearing Services\n  Australian Maritime College\n  Australian Maritime Safety Authority\n  Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation\n  Australian Securities and Investments Commission\n  Australian Sports Commission\n  Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education\n  Calvary Hospital A.C.T. Incorporated\n  Charles Darwin University\n  Civil Aviation Safety Authority\n  Cotton Research and Development Corporation\n  Export Finance and Insurance Corporation\n  Fisheries Research and Development Corporation\n  Grains Research and Development Corporation\n  High Court of Australia\n  Housing Australia\n  Icon Water Limited\n  Indigenous Business Australia\n  Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation\n  Law Courts Limited\n  Legal Aid Commission (A.C.T.)\n  Menzies School of Health Research\n  Northern Territory of Australia\n  Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory\n  Power and Water Corporation (established under the laws of the Northern Territory)\n  Private Health Insurance Administration Council\n  Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation\n  Screen Australia\n  Special Broadcasting Service Corporation\n  Sugar Research and Development Corporation\n  Tourism Australia\n  Tourism NT\n  University College, being the college established by the University of New South Wales within the Australian Defence Force Academy\n  University of Canberra\n  Wine Australia","sortOrder":3}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This declaration performs exactly its original intended function: listing organisations approved to participate in the CSS scheme. The list has been updated over time (evidenced by modern entities like 'Housing Australia' which replaced earlier housing bodies), but the scope remains limited to declaring approved authorities under the Superannuation Act 1976."},"complexity_factors":["Very short instrument (only 4 sections)","Single operative provision (section 4) consisting of a simple list","Only 1 defined term ('the Act')","No conditional logic, exceptions, or cross-references beyond the enabling provision","Straightforward declaratory function with no substantive rules"],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument names the organisations whose employees are entitled to join or remain in the closed Commonwealth Superannuation Scheme (CSS). It preserves CSS membership for staff of certain federal, territory and related statutory bodies and agencies who are not directly in the Australian Public Service.\n\nThat matters because it protects retirement benefits for people who moved to those approved authorities after serving in public service roles."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This declaration performs the specific statutory task of naming approved authorities under the Act and is consistent with that original purpose. It does not expand the substantive scope of the Superannuation Act or change eligibility rules; it simply identifies which organisations are within the Act's existing framework."},"complexity_factors":["Single cross-reference to the Superannuation Act 1976 (subsection 3(1))","One short interpretation clause (section 3) defining \"the Act\"","One operative clause (section 4) that is a flat list of named entities","No exceptions, conditions, transitional provisions or eligibility tests in the instrument itself","39 named organisations in the list (creates administrative breadth but not drafting complexity)"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this instrument does (mechanically)\n\n- Declares a specific list of organisations to be \"approved authorities\" for the purposes of the Superannuation Act 1976 (the Act). (See section 4.)\n- Says the instrument is made under the statutory power that defines an \"approved authority\" in subsection 3(1) of the Act. (See section 2.)\n- Defines \"the Act\" in this instrument as the Superannuation Act 1976. (See section 3.)\n\nWho is affected\n\n- The named organisations (39 bodies in this declaration) are brought within the legal category \"approved authority\" under the Act. Examples include statutory agencies (for example, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission), territorial governments (Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory), research and development corporations, universities, and other public bodies. (See section 4 for the full list.)\n- Employees of those organisations and the organisations themselves are the practical parties affected because being an \"approved authority\" determines whether the rights, duties and scheme membership rules in the Superannuation Act apply to them.\n\nWhy it matters (practical implications)\n\n- Being declared an \"approved authority\" means the organisation falls within the scope of the Superannuation Act. That typically determines whether employees are eligible for membership or benefits under the Commonwealth superannuation arrangements governed by the Act, and whether the organisation must comply with employer obligations under that legislation. The instrument itself simply performs the legal step of listing the organisations; the substantive entitlements and obligations arise from the Act.\n\nTesting the instrument against costs, incentives and practical effects\n\n- Who pays: The instrument does not itself set contribution rates or funding. But bringing an organisation within the Act normally creates or confirms employer-side obligations (contributions, reporting, administrative costs) and entitles employees to scheme benefits; the exact financial effects depend on the Act's rules and funding arrangements.\n- Who decides: The instrument is an administrative declaration that exercises a statutory power to name approved authorities (section 2). Once declared, subsequent decisions about benefits, contributions and administration are governed by the Act and related instruments.\n- Behavioural effects: Employers on the list may need to alter payroll, contribution reporting and record-keeping to comply with the Act. Employees might change their retirement planning if they become eligible for scheme benefits rather than private fund arrangements.\n- Effects on private enterprise and competition: The instrument is neutral as to markets; it extends statutory superannuation coverage to the named public bodies and their staff. That can shift some staff from private super arrangements to Commonwealth arrangements where membership rules require it, which may affect private fund membership volumes over time, but the declaration itself does not change commercial regulation, prices, ownership or competition.\n- Compliance burden and implementation risk: The declaration is administrative and categorical (a list). Implementation risk lies in administrative integration — ensuring payroll, contribution collection, and membership records conform to the Act for each listed body.\n- Concentrated benefits and diffuse costs: Benefits (access to Commonwealth scheme rules) are concentrated on employees of the named bodies. Costs (administration, employer contributions) fall on the organisations (and ultimately can affect budgets); whether costs are material depends on the Act's substantive funding rules.\n\nLimitations and scope of what this instrument does not do\n\n- It does not change the substantive rules of the Superannuation Act (it does not amend contribution rates, benefit formulas, or eligibility rules). It does not itself create benefits or liabilities beyond bringing the named bodies within the Act's ambit — the content of those benefits and liabilities is in the Act.\n- It contains no exceptions, conditions or transitional rules; it is a plain, enumerated declaration of which organisations are approved authorities.\n\nKey provisions cited\n\n- Authority for the instrument: section 2 (made under paragraph (a) of the definition of \"approved authority\" in subsection 3(1) of the Superannuation Act 1976).\n- Interpretation: section 3 (defines \"the Act\" as the Superannuation Act 1976).\n- Substantive effect: section 4 (lists the approved authorities)."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/superannuation-css-approved-authority-declaration-1995","history":"/api/acts/superannuation-css-approved-authority-declaration-1995/history","analysis":"/api/acts/superannuation-css-approved-authority-declaration-1995/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/superannuation-css-approved-authority-declaration-1995/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/superannuation-css-approved-authority-declaration-1995/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/superannuation-css-approved-authority-declaration-1995/documents"}}