Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

This government made a commitment prior to the election that there would be no adverse changes to superannuation in this term of parliament—and that is exactly the commitment that we are keeping. Let me go on, this government has no plans to change the taxation of superannuation in the future beyond this term of parliament and this government will never treat the savings of Australians as a piggybank to be raided by the government whenever the government is in trouble.

We understand that superannuation is not the government's money, it is the people's money—that is why we are not going to touch it. We respect the fact that the people of Australia work hard and when they put money away for their retirement it belongs to them—it is not an emergency fund for a government that was running out of money the way members opposite were when they were in government. We absolutely respect that there is a world of difference between the social security that the government provides to people and people's own savings. We understand that difference, members opposite do not. They just do not get it. They think that your money belongs to them when they are in trouble. This is a very clear distinction between the Labor Party and the coalition on this point. And I make it absolutely crystal clear what will happen if members opposite were re-elected—the carbon tax comes back, a superannuation tax comes on and the boats start again. That is what will happen. On that note, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.

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