Retirement incomes
5 August 2019
On any view, the case for higher compulsory super hasn’t been made
At the heart of the debate over higher compulsory superannuation sit big trade-offs that are too rarely acknowledged. Grattan’s work on retirement incomes shows that raising compulsory super would be bad for workers, pensioners, and taxpayers.
22 July 2019
The case for higher compulsory super hasn’t been made
The response from Australia’s peak superannuation lobbies to our latest research has been predictable, disappointing — and wrong.
10 July 2019
Super shock: more compulsory super would make Middle Australia poorer, not richer
The typical worker would lose about $30,000 over their lifetime if compulsory superannuation contributions are lifted from 9.5 per cent of wages to 12 per cent, as has been legislated.
20 June 2019
Why super is a burden on the budget
Compulsory superannuation saves the government money on pensions — but nowhere near enough to pay for the accompanying tax concessions. Lifting compulsory contributions will make things worse, for a century.
11 June 2019
Three retirement income priorities for the returned Morrison Government
The Morrison Government confronts a big agenda when it comes to retirement incomes. They need to implement the superannuation recommendations of the Hayne Royal Commission and respond to the Productivity Commission inquiry into superannuation costs.
28 May 2019
Superannuation review first must set goal posts
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg should be commended for announcing plans to review Australia’s retirement incomes system. But to do better, we first need to set up the goalposts. Even though governments spend $50 billion each year on the age pension and another $30 billion on superannuation tax breaks, our retirement incomes system has never had a formal objective.
21 May 2019
Why super could be part of the fallout from Election 2019
Rethinking the scheduled increase to the Superannuation Guarantee is now a distinct possibility. There’s no obvious reason to increase compulsory contributions — and workers would be the winners if compulsory super contributions were not increased.
3 May 2019
Increasing superannuation will take $20 billion a year from wages
Stagnant wages are a big issue in the 2019 federal election campaign. So it is odd that both major parties are hanging onto a policy that will take more out of workers’ pockets.
12 April 2019
Our latest retirement income projections show most Australians will still have enough
The latest Grattan Institute projections show that most Australians can expect an adequate retirement income. But pensioners that rent will continue to struggle.
12 April 2019
Fewer retirees will own their home in future, and that has big implications for policy
Australia’s retirement incomes system has been built on the assumption that most will own their own home. But new Grattan modelling suggests that’s no longer valid.