Superannuation Complaints Tribunal: Closed in 2018 (2026)

The Superannuation Complaints Tribunal stopped taking new complaints in 2018 and was fully replaced by AFCA on 1 November 2018. If you’re searching for it today, here’s what happened, where old records went, and exactly how to lodge a super complaint now.

Quick Answer: Superannuation Complaints Tribunal

The Superannuation Complaints Tribunal, or SCT, no longer runs. It worked from 1993 until it stopped taking new complaints around mid-2018. The Australian Financial Complaints Authority, or AFCA, took over fully on 1 November 2018. So if you need to complain about your super fund today, you go to AFCA instead, not the old tribunal. The process is free. First, raise the issue with your fund’s own complaints team. Then, if that doesn’t fix it, take it to AFCA next.

1. What Happened to the Superannuation Complaints Tribunal

• It ran for 25 years before closing. So the tribunal handled super and life insurance disputes from 1993 right through to 2018.
• New complaints stopped around mid-2018. The tribunal wound down its intake before AFCA fully launched later that year.
• AFCA took over completely on 1 November 2018. So this date marks when the old tribunal’s role formally ended, along with two other complaint bodies that got folded in too.
• The tribunal’s own website now just confirms this. It states plainly that all complaints have been finished, and it points visitors to AFCA instead.

2. What Happened to Old SCT Complaint Records

• Treasury holds the old records now. So if you had a complaint with the old tribunal, its files sit with the Commonwealth Treasury, not AFCA.
• You can ask for copies under Freedom of Information. That’s the formal way to get old case files from a closed government body.
• Complaints about how the tribunal handled your case go elsewhere. So if you have concerns about the old process itself, the Commonwealth Ombudsman is the right contact, not AFCA.
• AFCA can’t reopen an old SCT decision. AFCA’s role starts fresh from November 2018 onward. It isn’t an appeals path for older tribunal decisions.

3. How to Complain About Your Super Fund Now

• Start with your fund’s own complaints team. So every fund runs its own internal process first, and that’s the required first step before going further.
• Give your fund a real chance to respond. Funds usually get a set window of time to fix the issue before you can take it further.
• Take it to AFCA if you’re still unhappy. So once your fund’s own process has run its course, AFCA is the outside body that looks at the complaint next.
• AFCA covers a wide range of super issues. Unfair trustee decisions, rejected insurance claims, and disputes over death benefits all typically fall within what AFCA will review.

4. What AFCA Won’t Handle

• Employer super guarantee complaints go to the ATO instead. So if your employer simply isn’t paying your super at all, that’s an ATO matter, not an AFCA one.
• Some financial advice complaints sit outside AFCA’s job. Certain advice-related disputes get handled through other channels instead, depending on the case.
• Court or tribunal-decided matters generally can’t be reopened. So a dispute already settled by a court, or by the old SCT, usually won’t get a second look from AFCA.
• The service itself costs nothing to use. AFCA is a free dispute resolution scheme, so cost shouldn’t stop you from lodging a real complaint.

For related reading, see our guides to Superannuation Rate: The Current Figure, and Why It’s Not Rising Again and Preservation Age: The Simple Answer, Plus the Full Table.

FAQ: Superannuation Complaints Tribunal

Is the Superannuation Complaints Tribunal still operating?
No. It stopped taking new complaints around mid-2018 and was fully replaced by AFCA on 1 November 2018.

Who replaced the Superannuation Complaints Tribunal?
The Australian Financial Complaints Authority, or AFCA, which also replaced two other complaint bodies at the same time.

How do I make a superannuation complaint now?
Start with your fund’s internal dispute resolution team. If that doesn’t resolve it, escalate your complaint to AFCA.

Is it free to lodge a complaint with AFCA?
Yes. AFCA is a free dispute resolution service, so there’s no cost to lodge a genuine complaint about your super fund.

Can I access records from an old Superannuation Complaints Tribunal case?
Yes, through a Freedom of Information request to the Commonwealth Treasury, which now holds the tribunal’s historical records.

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