Confusing rules have been blamed for a superannuation fund awarding a young woman's $180,000 death benefit to her much older lover instead of her mum.
Magistrate Rodney Higgins, a 70-year-old grandfather-of-eight, has sparked outrage for claiming fiancé Ashleigh Petrie's superannuation and life insurance payout after the 23-year-old was fatally run over in country Victoria in October 2019.
Before her tragic death, the young court clerk had struggled with publicity surrounding the revelation she was in a live-in relationship with Mr Higgins, who was 45 years her senior.
Her mother took industry fund Rest Super to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority arguing her deceased daughter had named her as the sole beneficiary.
A massive public campaign is underway to have one of Australia's biggest super funds hand over a $180,000 death benefit to a young woman's mother. Magistrate Rodney Higgins, a 70-year-old grandfather-of-eight, has sparked outrage for pocketing a superannuation and life insurance payout after his fiancé Ashleigh Petrie, 23, was fatally run over in October 2019
With a decision still pending more than 12,500 people, by early Wednesday afternoon, had signed a petition calling on the the industry super fund to give that $180,000 to Ms Petrie's mother instead of Mr Higgins, a Victorian magistrate on a $324,000 salary package
With a decision still pending, more than 12,500 people have so far signed a petition calling on Rest Super to give that $180,000 to Ms Petrie's mother instead of Mr Higgins, a Victorian magistrate on a generous $324,000 salary package.
'We call on Rest Super to return Ashleigh Petrie’s super where it belongs - with her mother who is suffering from financial hardship and definitely not earning $300,000+ a year,' it said.
Under the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993, a young worker can typically nominate a parent as the 'non-binding' beneficiary who would receive their super and life insurance should they die.
Should that worker later get into a relationship, the law considers the partner or spouse to be in an 'interdependency relationship'.
Rest Super said it had obeyed the law when it awarded the payment to Mr Higgins but it declined to provide more details
Federal Labor's superannuation frontbencher Stephen Jones said there was a lot of confusion around superannuation life insurance arrangements, especially among the young
Rest Super said it had obeyed the law when it awarded the payment to Mr Higgins but it declined to provide more details.
'Rest has every sympathy for Ms Petrie's loved ones and all those grieving her tragic passing,' a spokesman told Daily Mail Australia.
'The process of paying a death benefit can involve contested claims and disputes between potential dependents.
'Rest always endeavours to handle situations like these with the utmost sensitivity and sympathy.'
Federal Labor's superannuation frontbencher Stephen Jones said there was a lot of confusion around superannuation life insurance arrangements, especially among the young.
'It's certainly confusing to the average person, particularly when they're young, the last thing they are thinking about is their will and their estate,' he told Daily Mail Australia.
'A lot of people are even unaware that they have a significant asset in their life insurance policy and there's a lack of financial literacy about these things.
'There needs to be a lot greater awareness and a lot greater explanation about these life insurance policies.'
Mr Higgins - who bizarrely referred to himself as Rocketman Rod in an online alias obtained by Daily Mail Australia - previously ran as a state and federal Labor candidate, unsuccessfully in western Victoria.
Highly-paid magistrate Rod Higgins fought to win the $180,000 super and life insurance payout of his young fiancee, who was 45 years his junior
Magistrate Rodney Higgins referred to himself as Rocketman Rod in online profile obtained by Daily Mail Australia
'I also love diamonds': Lurline Le Neuf - the longtime partner of Mr Higgins - was labelled the 'Queen of Bling' in home renovation magazine. She is spotted wearing an apron from luxury London department store Harrod's paired with a pair of yellow boots in Shepparton on Tuesday
Miss Petrie,23, excitedly accepted and called him 'the love of her life' after he proposed to her in Fiji in 2019. The couple is pictured together just weeks before her untimely death
Mr Higgins had reportedly inquired about securing his fiancee's superannuation death benefit within 24 hours of her tragic death.
After Ms Petrie's death, Mr Higgins moved back to the riverside home in Shepparton he shared with his former partner, Lurline Le Neuf, to resume their 18-year relationship.
On Tuesday, the pair were seen sauntering about town in pricey duds looking every inch the millionaire couple.
Daily Mail Australia can reveal Mr Higgins and Ms Le Neuf appeared in a feature article in 'Our Home' magazine in 2013 where they discussed their good fortune.
Mr Higgins had reportedly inquired about securing his fiancee's superannuation death benefit within 24 hours of her tragic death. After Ms Petrie's death, Mr Higgins moved back to the riverside home in Shepparton he shared with his former partner, Lurline Le Neuf, to resume their 18-year relationship
In it, Ms Le Neuf was described as 'The Queen Of Bling' and had appeared on the front cover.
'It is everywhere, from jewellery encrusted with precious stones and bracelets laden with rhinestones, to glitter glued onto shoes to add flair and the bling artwork she weaves into the home she shares with partner Rod Higgins,' the article read.
'I also love diamonds,' Ms Le Neuf told the publication.
Mr Higgins' proud partner talked of her troubles at finding the perfect chandelier for their home and bragged about her time working with fashion gurus in London.
'I have always been bling and people just expect it of me,' she said.
I'm a rocketman: Controversial magistrate Rod Higgins referred to himself as Rocketman Rod on a social media profile
The 'Rocketman's' expansive home in Shepparton, in Victoria's north, which sits just a stone's throw from a tranquil river
The wealthy magistrate's partner Lurline Le Neuf got about town in posh yellow boots and a Harrod's apron on Tuesday morning
Lurline Le Neuf, who once worked in fashion in London, changed into another pair of fancy boots before leaving her home on Tuesday afternoon (above)
