Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you—as Senator Scarr knows. We released the relevant documents on 5 September 2024, in line with the information commissioner's decision, in the usual way. I would say in the time allowed for me that this is just a continuation in another form of the coalition's war against super, particularly Senator Bragg's war against super. He seeks to undermine the superannuation industry and compulsory superannuation requirements in this country. Let's just be honest about what is actually the issue here.

We know that, at every opportunity the coalition gets—right back from the John Howard days and all through the days of all the leaders of the coalition—they have sought to undermine compulsory super, the superannuation industry and, in particular, the role of the labour movement in the superannuation industry, which is, again, what Senator Bragg seeks to do with his continued attack, including in a piece in the paper that I read this morning.

We know and we saw it yesterday again with an announcement of the amendments that the coalition are going to move in relation to super on PPL. They cannot bear compulsory superannuation. They just cannot bear it. They dress it up, as a Senator Cash just did, saying, 'We prefer choice.' Well, the choice at the moment is that women retire with a lot less super than men. Economic inequality is a problem in this country for women. You call it choice; we call it inequality. That's what Labor seeks to address in everything we do—to ensure that we are upholding equality for women, that we are representing their long-term interests and that we don't support this kind of underhanded, continued attack that undermines super. They are even prepared to do it on paid parental leave. We know that that is a massive issue.

Senator Bragg will take any opportunity he gets to undermine the superannuation industry. If he can besmirch industry super at the same time, then that's an added bonus for him. That's what he's seeking to do with this and with the attendance of the minister today. I've explained the process that the Treasurer went through, and I and Labor will continue to argue for the benefits of compulsory super so people are able to retire, with the benefits of their hardworking lives reflected in a dignified retirement because they have superannuation assets. We think that is a good thing. The coalition thinks it's a bad thing. They want to undermine it and tear at it. If they were in government they would seek to do that again and again. They've opposed it from the get-go. Every single change that we seek to bring in to strengthen super they will undermine. If they can undermine the industry that represents working people and their retirement savings, they will do that as well. That is the point of this attendance today. We aren't going to be suckered into your war on super, Senator Bragg. It's something you've done since the moment you got here, and I imagine you will continue until the moment you leave. But, at the same time, Labor will always stand up for super, including industry super.