QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
Dr MULINO (Fraser—Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services) (14:53): I thank the member for McEwen for his question, and I know the member for McEwen, like all members on this side of the House, believes Australians deserve a strong superannuation system, and he's defended it throughout his time in this place. Superannuation gives Australians confidence and financial security to enjoy retirement after a lifetime of hard work, Labor built compulsory super, and the Albanese Labor government will continue to strengthen it.
We've delivered payday super, ensuring workers receive their super with their wages in order to help their savings grow. We've included super on paid parental leave so that parents can grow their retirement savings while looking after their kids. We've strengthened the low-income super tax offset, benefiting 1.3 million Australians and helping lower income workers build stronger retirement balances.
I'm asked about risks to Australia's retirement income system. The parties opposite are so united against the interests of Australians it's difficult to tell them apart. With One Nation now leading the superannuation debate on the other side, let's play a little game of 'Who said it—the Liberals, the Nationals or One Nation?' Who called superannuation one of the biggest public policy failures since Federation?
Was that One Nation? No, that was Liberal senator Andrew Bragg. Who called superannuation 'a form of economic insanity'.
Was that One nation? No, that was the now shadow Treasurer, the member for Goldstein. These quotes get more and more outlandish.
Who described compulsory super as 'communism' and 'a loss of liberty' and dismissed super for young Australians as similar to 'super for cats and dogs'. There wasn't One Nation; that was Senator Andrew Bragg again. But who, when asked for his views on modelling superannuation, started by expressing concerns about socialism— Mr Chester interjecting— The SPEAKER: Order!
The member for Gippsland is now warned. Dr MULINO: but then added to that answer by self-reflecting, usefully, 'I am not Jesus Christ'? That one was One Nation, and that one shows a more sophisticated and multifaceted approach to superannuation than the coalition.
It builds on ideological fears by adding a theological justification for early release. The quotes are different, but the approach is the same. Less money going into super today means much less money in retirement.
Our approach to the cost of living is different—tax cuts for every taxpayer, delivered five different ways, pay rises for minimum wage earners and award wage workers, cutting student debt by 20 per cent and making medicines cheaper. The Liberals and Nationals have spent years attacking super while opposing cost-of-living relief, and now One Nation has joined in.
On this side of the House, we believe in something very different. Labor has built superannuation, we have strengthened it and we will defend it.