Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers has criticised One Nation’s call for easier access to superannuation, claiming it would “decimate” the economic security of Australia’s retirees.
Chalmers’ comments come after One Nation Leader Pauline Hanson said superannuation should be “lightened up a bit” so that Australians in financial stress can access their own money in a time of need.
But the Treasurer criticised the idea.
“Their policy and their ideology on super would absolutely decimate the economic security and retirement incomes of millions of Australian workers,” he told reporters on Aug. 17.
“They share a dangerous and divisive anti-worker, anti-super ideology, and if this plays out after the next election, Australian workers will be much worse off.”
“A lot of Australians are doing it tough now and struggling to pay off their mortgages, in some ways I feel that you should give them their money now and help them with the cost of living,” she said.
“It is their money, they have sacrificed it in lieu of pay so in a lot of cases people want it.”
Hanson said the superannuation system had been set up so people had money in their later years, but many retirees still needed government pension support.
“Under One Nation we brought out the policy that you could use your superannuation to put a deposit on your own home, now we brought that out years ago,” she said.
“Let people use their money to help them now in a state of crisis
“And some people who need operations can’t get access to their superannuation to have that done. Superannuation should be lightened up a bit so people can utilise this money in times of crisis. It is their money.”
The One Nation leader also claimed she had been misinterpreted by some media outlets, denying claims that she supported scrapping compulsory retirement savings.
“I’m not calling for an ‘end’ to compulsory super as the media has falsely claimed.
“But Australians should be able to access their money more easily if they need it for a house, medical needs or other costs.”
