Moving to Melbourne in September
 

Re: Moving to Melbourne in September
 

Re: Moving to Melbourne in September
 

Can't opt out of super - even backpackers have to have it

My wife works in the allied health sector and gets salary packaging. She uses it for school fees but I believe there are many other things it can cover

Re: Moving to Melbourne in September
 

Depends on whether you work in the Private or Public sector with the Salary packaging I think. My Wife is a Mental Health Nurse at the Royal Melbourne, we claim our Mortgage payments and a Meal and entertainment allowance. It works out to be probably worth circa 15pct more take home money overall out of her total salary. You will probably find your best claim will be for accomodation rental.


We aren't interested in the car as we live inner city and use mostly public transport. Plus the car leasing terms are so strict, with scheduled services and insurance and fuel built into the costs that it's a no go for us. Personally I cannot see the use of car leasing as salary packaging at all, as it's far cheaper to run a car outside of their schedules.

AFAIK the Public Sector has a far more generous Salary Packaging allowance on account of being a non profit organisation. I do stand to be corrected on that point though.

When you indicate what superfund you join, make sure it's an industry one. The Victorian public Hospitals tend to use First State Super. Long term if you choose a Industry fund you'll find you wont regret it when it comes to retirement age. The ongoing costs are minimal and First State has been running at around 10pct growth over the last 10 to 15 years, way way beyond the ongoing fees.


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Re: Moving to Melbourne in September
 

That's what I thought, thank you for confirming!

Re: Moving to Melbourne in September
 

I'm actually starting a job at the Royal Melbourne myself :-) I'm a nurse by background but won't be in a clinical nursing job. Wow, i can't believe you can also get a meal and entertainment allowance?! I reckoned the same about the car as well, thinking if I stuck to living somewhere fairly central then I wouldn't need it. Good to know that you've done the same! So with the superfunds, you get to choose yourself. Is it something that you normally pick and they'll pay into it or will it be that your employer will indicate which superfunds they will pay into and then you pick from their selection?

Thank you all for your advice so far, it's super useful!

Re: Moving to Melbourne in September
 

You decide which super fund you want to use and your employer must pay into it.

It's not a case of you picking one from a list your employer gives you. All employers will have a default super fund they use but you don't have to use that one.

Re: Moving to Melbourne in September
 

The government salary packaging does vary between departments, even within one state. Health are usually very generous - as you can see fro Ozzie' post. I'm in State government in Queensland, and whilst Health here don't get the entertainment package, they do get rent/mortgage packages. My department on the other hand is pretty much restricted to ipads/laptops (if work related), cars and a deal on bus fares(but only to work and back). Far less generous.

Re: Moving to Melbourne in September
 

If you choose Hostplus, which you are able to, it's akin to having your funds in the top 500 shares either in Australia if you choose that or the US if you choose that option or a combination of both. Long term that is an incredible option.

Google hostplus and check out their top ASX and International share Super fund...


Plus re the Royal Melbourne, if you go on to the Nurses Bank after a while, then you can really earn good money. Check out what your peers are doing first though :)

Re: Moving to Melbourne in September
 

Thank you ozzieeagle! I will definitely check out hostplus! I'm tempted to take a look at doing some Bank but my job will pretty full on for the next 12 months and i've not applied for my nursing license in Oz. I'm not sure I'm keen enough to go through the rigmarole of getting my Australian license only to do a few bank shifts :-)

Re: Moving to Melbourne in September
 

Best of luck, you'll enjoy the Royal Melbourne I reckon. There's a lot of Irish Nurses there at present, more than usual. Friendly lot and a very good working environment for most.