Writing in the latest SCT Quarterly Bulletin, Ms Furlan said some trustees only turn their minds to the details of a complaint and begin to explore options for its resolution when they become aware that the complaint has been lodged with the SCT.
Some funds may only be stirred into action when the SCT makes an information request, she added.
“Trustees who don’t already do so are encouraged to fully investigate and attempt to resolve complaints through their internal complaints resolution processes,” she said.
Ms Furlan noted that “a number of trustees” request extensions of time” to provide documents and information requests by way of a section 17 notice.
“[Trustees] sometimes advise that the relevant file has been archived, or that telephone recordings need to be obtained and reviewed,” she said.
“This can occur even where the complaint was only recently dealt with under the trustee’s internal complaints resolution processes,”
Given that the Stronger Super reforms require trustees to provide reasons for decisions in relation to death benefits as well as other matters, “all relevant documentation and the results of the trustee’s investigations should be readily to hand”, she said.
“Currently, new complaints received are allocated for investigation around a month after jurisdiction has been established,” said Ms Furlan.
“In this environment, trustees should not need to request extensions of time for the provision of information,” she said.
Elsewhere in her letter, Ms Furlan pointed out that the SCT has increased the number of conciliation conferences for the first six months of the financial year by 89 per cent to 424.
“The Tribunal considers conciliation is the most cost effective and efficient way of resolving complaints and is under a statutory obligation to try and resolve complaints within its jurisdiction by conciliation,” she said.
