Make super objective stand-alone Act

12 April 2016
| By Jassmyn |
image
image
expand image

The objective of superannuation should be legislated in a stand-alone Act rather than in existing super or tax legislation, the SMSF Association believes.

The SMSF Association said the primary objective for super should be "to provide income in retirement to substitute or supplement the Age Pension, delivering a financially secure and dignified retirement for Australians".

The association's chief executive, Andrea Slattery, said "the objectives of superannuation will influence a number of policy areas including superannuation, taxation, social security, health and ageing".

"Accordingly, the objective should be legislated in a stand-alone Act rather than in existing superannuation or taxation legislation," she said.

Slattery said she wanted the Government to engage in further consultation on the working of the objective and guiding principles before they become law, and to seek bipartisan support.

The association also said the legislative process was an opportunity to remove super policy from the annual Budget cycle by limiting significant changes only after a comprehensive, long-term review of the system.

"The objective should be based around the provision of retirement income and be supported by a set of guiding principles that can be used to give context to the primary objective," Slattery said.

"It is essential that the objective not only has a focus on providing retirement income, but also ensures that retirees are able to build adequate retirement savings through the superannuation system to manage the financial risks of ageing and retirement."

Read more about:

AUTHOR

Recommended for you

sub-bgsidebar subscription

Never miss the latest developments in Super Review! Anytime, Anywhere!

Grant Banner

From my perspective, 40- 50% of people are likely going to be deeply unhappy about how long they actually live. ...

11 months ago
Kevin Gorman

Super director remuneration ...

11 months 1 week ago
Anthony Asher

No doubt true, but most of it is still because over 45’s have been upgrading their houses with 30 year mortgages. Money ...

11 months 1 week ago

Westpac has delayed its rate cut forecast, aligning with its peer NAB’s outlook on the likely trajectory for the Reserve Bank of Australia’s cash rate....

21 hours ago

The government’s adjustment to the Future Fund’s mandate could set a dangerous precedent, warns an economist, raising concerns that it may pave the way for problematic fu...

20 hours ago

The proposed reforms have been described as a key step towards delivering better products and retirement experiences for members, with many noting financial advice remain...

22 hours ago