Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, people earning less than $450 a month don't have to be paid superannuation. This means that many women in low-paid or casual jobs can't build up their retirement savings. When will the government stop fighting itself, start governing and match Labor's commitment to help women in low-paid and casual jobs plan for security in retirement by ensuring that superannuation is paid to those Australians earning less than $450 a month?

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question. The government has acted to support people on low incomes with the low income superannuation tax offset. That supported 1.9 million Australian women. That was in the budget I handed down.

Ms Butler interjecting—

Dr Leigh interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The members for Griffith and Fenner will leave under 94(a).

The member for Griffith then left the chamber.

The member for Fenner then left the chamber.

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Our government has acted to provide catch-up contributions for women in the workforce. Our government has acted for those women who are starting their own businesses, particularly those working from home, so that they can now access the superannuation tax concessions that others can access.

I don't understand why the Labor Party opposed those measures. Why would the Labor Party want to oppose someone running their own business from home getting access to the same superannuation tax concessions that are enjoyed by other female workers? These provisions particularly support those in trades and small businesses, but they do include those who run their own home based businesses. What that shows is that those opposite are happy to support the superannuation savings of those who are in the union workforce, but they're not happy to support the superannuation savings of people who run small and medium-sized businesses. The Labor Party have never understood the psychology, the incentive or the mindset of someone who decides to run their own business, who wants the independence and takes the risk and goes out there to ensure that they can provide for their future.

That betrayal by the Labor Party is also demonstrated when they talk about retirement savings. If they're so interested in retirement savings, why do they want to put their hands in the pockets of senior Australians who have saved and take around $5 billion out of their savings? Do you know who the biggest burden of that retiree tax will fall on? It's women. Thirty per cent more women will be impacted by the Labor Party's retiree tax—

Mr Keogh interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Burt is warned!

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

with it sucking $5 billion in hard-earned savings out of the pockets of Australian families. At that time when women are on their own, when their partners may have passed on, what has been left to them as shares in Telstra or whatever Australian company is the money that the shadow Treasurer and the leader of the Labor Party want to get their grubby hands on—and we won't allow it.