The Super Members Council congratulates the Australian Senate and Government on passing the Superannuation Objective Bill – an important legislative safeguard that has been a decade in the making.
The legislation will be “a guiding light for all future policy development in super” and strengthen certainty and predictability for all Australians who rely on super to deliver retirement income.
Super has delivered transformative benefits for millions of Australians. While the Australian public know super’s job is to deliver income for their retirement years, its purpose has not been legislated in 32 years.
Super Members Council CEO Misha Schubert said the objective’s wording reflects the views of everyday Australians.
“Ask everyday Australians what super is for, and they’ll tell you it’s their money for retirement,” Ms Schubert said. “The ‘Objective of Super’ legislation reflects that clear and compelling purpose in ironclad law. It will be a guiding light for all future super policy development.”
“We strongly support the legislation. It will help to ensure super stays strong and secure – and continues to deliver a financially secure retirement income stream for millions of everyday Australian retirees.”
“An agreed objective of super in law supports more stable, effective and equitable policy settings and reinforces the strong system fundamentals needed to successfully evolve the system.”
The legislation says super’s role is to preserve savings to provide income in retirement in an equitable and sustainable way.
Importantly, the Bill safeguards super’s preservation policy – the key policy principle that the purpose of super is to deliver retirement income – in legislation. And it reminds the current and future Parliaments that any policies that undermine preservation are contrary to the purpose of super.
“The goal of legislating an Objective of Super has long held bipartisan and cross-party support – and we congratulate the Senate on passing this important legislation.”
First proposed a decade ago in The Financial Systems Inquiry and then the Retirement Income Review in 2020, each of those major reviews identified a pressing need for a clear objective in legislation. Both of Australia’s major political parties had committed to legislating an objective of super.
About us:
The Super Members Council is a strong voice advocating for more than 11 million Australians who have over $1.5 trillion in retirement savings managed by profit-to-member superannuation funds. Our purpose is to protect and advance their interests throughout their lives, advocating on their behalf to ensure superannuation policy is stable, effective, and equitable
Contact details:
James Dowling: 0429 437 851, jdowling@smcaustralia.com
