Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I would like to say on behalf of the Labor opposition that we support the establishment of the interim embassy that the Prime Minister has described. My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister confirm that, for a woman earning $37,000 a year, the scrapping of the low-income superannuation contribution will mean that she loses $500 each and every year from 2017 for the rest of her working life?

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

I am very concerned to ensure that women in particular have a decent superannuation nest egg to assist them in their retirement. That is why I support a fair dinkum paid parental leave scheme that includes superannuation. I wonder why the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has consistently opposed and voted against a fair dinkum paid parental leave scheme that includes contributions towards superannuation. We support a decent retirement policy. We support security for older Australians. We do support moving the superannuation contribution to 12 per cent, but in the right time, consistent with returning this budget to long-term sustainability. That is what this government is determined to do: return the budget to long-term sustainability. We must address Labor's debt and deficit disaster. I very much regret to say that members opposite are still in denial, not only about the election defeat that they suffered last year but in denial about the absolute need to build a strong and sustainable economy to return the budget to a sustainable surplus. This government is well and truly aware of that and we will deliver.