Three major superannuation advocacy groups united last Friday, being International Women’s Day, to call on policy makers to help close the gender gap in retirement savings, which currently sees women retire without around 40 per cent less superannuation than men.
Women in Super, Industry Super Australia (ISA), and the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees (AIST) joined forces to advocate practical policy changes such as removing the minimum income threshold and increasing the super guarantee.
“We need a super system that addresses the unique challenges that women face when it comes to paid work and we must ensure that governments stick to the timetable to take super compulsory contributions to 12 per cent,” AIST chief executive, Eva Scheerlinck, said.
ISA called for superannuation to be added to parental leave and the $450 threshold to be scrapped, which would see many women working part-time receive more superannuation, with consumer advocacy head, Sarah Saunders, noting that Labor had already committed to both policies.
Women in Super echoed calls to increase the superannuation guarantee to 12 per cent and also pushed for an annual means-tested superannuation boost.
“It’s not rocket science! The current superannuation system from 1992 is outdated. It does not reflect the way Australians engage in work today and can easily be changed into a fairer system for women,” Women in Super chief executive, Sandra Buckley, said.
Superannuation funds have posted another year of strong returns, but this time, the gains weren’t powered solely by Silicon Valley.
Australia’s $4.1 trillion superannuation system is doing more than funding retirements – it’s quietly fuelling the nation’s productivity, lifting GDP, and adding thousands to workers’ pay packets, according to new analysis from the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA).
Large superannuation accounts may need to find funds outside their accounts or take the extreme step of selling non-liquid assets under the proposed $3 million super tax legislation, according to new analysis from ANU.
Economists have been left scrambling to recalibrate after the Reserve Bank wrong-footed markets on Tuesday, holding the cash rate steady despite widespread expectations of a cut.