Shayne Neumann (Blair, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Labor is the party of superannuation, Member for Cowper. We built the world-class retirement system in this country. We had a $1.8 trillion system, but, tragically, the increase in the superannuation guarantee from nine to 12 per cent, which we proposed and started to process, will be delayed by those opposite. There has never ever been a superannuation guarantee increase at any stage in the political history of this country that those opposite have supported. They have not supported a single one. So what they have effectively done in my electorate by delaying the increase is sacrificed, delayed and hurt the retirement savings of 43,600 workers in Ipswich and the Somerset Region, who once had confidence in their retirement.

Those opposite say they are all in favour of enterprise, financial security, looking after yourself and taking the hand of government off yourself. Guess what: when it comes to superannuation, their policies are the exact opposite. If they believe those words, if they were not weasel words coming from their mouths, then they would support what we are doing on superannuation. But they have a destructive retirement savings policy for working people living in my electorate and in electorates across the country. Those opposite should hang their heads in shame when it comes to health care and superannuation.

I call on my local residents to not accept passively this GP tax, which will affect my electorate to the tune of $4.73 million annually. Sign the petition and stand up for Medicare and superannuation; write to those opposite and tell them they are wrong, as they must know in their hearts.

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