Treasurer Jim Chalmers will announce on Wednesday a package of reforms to the retirement phase of the superannuation system, to make it easier to navigate and consumer friendly. In a speech to the industry, Chalmers will point out the superannuation system is reaching “a pivotal moment”, with more than 2.5 million people expected to retire in the next decade. Over the next four decades, superannuation drawdowns are estimated to increase from 2.4% of GDP to 5.6%. The changes are aimed at helping people make their superannuation go further, as well as providing “peace of mind” for retirees. The reforms fall…
Author: Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
The government is standing by Kevin Rudd, albeit with gritted teeth, in the face of calls for him to be replaced as Australia’s ambassador to Washington. But the row is an unhelpful and potentially damaging distraction for a prime minister beset by problems and under the shadow of an approaching election. Rudd was always set to be controversial if Donald Trump returned, so Anthony Albanese’s appointing him was a gamble. Moreover, Rudd doesn’t help himself. For example, why didn’t he delete his social media posts graphically disparaging Trump as soon as he was named for the post? Instead, he did…
In a government that puts ministers on show until people are sick of seeing their faces, Don Farrell is a man with hardly a public profile. The trade minister, who is also special minister of state, doesn’t regularly hit the breakfast TV round and only rarely appears on the major current affairs programs. Yet Farrell, an influential factional leader from the right, has had, so far, a good first term in the Albanese government. When Labor came to power, China had restrictions on about $20 billion worth of Australia’s trade. Now there are virtually no blocks. Of course most of…
Crossbench independents Allegra Spender, Helen Haines and Kate Chaney have declared they are pulling out of the elite lounges run by Qantas and Virgin, amid the ongoing spotlight on privileges politicians receive from the airlines. Allegra Spender, the member for the Sydney seat of Wentworth, also said she’d write to ask Qantas and Virgin not to give free upgrades to parliamentarians. It was “time to end the upgrades”. She said all sides of politics enjoyed the perks, and both major parties had blocked greater competition from Qatar Airways. Airlines operated under government policy and ministerial decisions, she said. “The public…
Days from the US presidential election, the polls are showing the outcome of the race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump remains a nail biter. With the United States our closest ally, the result could have potential implications for Australia in areas such as climate change policy, defence and the economy. If there is a Trump victory, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will also have the challenge of building a relationship with an unpredictable character. To discuss the state of the contest and what comes next, we’re joined by Bruce Wolpe, senior fellow at the United States Studies Centre at the…
Industrial relations will be hotly contested at next year’s election. Labor has introduced a raft of new worker protections and pushed for wage increases for lower paid workers. Business groups have argued against further red tape and claimed the government’s new regulations have contributed to rising costs. The union movement, meanwhile, has been mired in the fallout from the CFMEU controversy, with some union leaders angry over the government and ACTU’s tough treatment of that union after revelations of its infiltration by criminals. To talk about these issues and more, we’re joined by ACTU secretary Sally McManus and Innes Willox,…
This time a year ago, we were on the cusp of the October 14 Voice referendum. Most players were already aware it was doomed. Less understood was just how far-reaching would be the impact of what, in retrospect, was a massive miscalculation by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. In his maiden speech in 1996, Albanese declared multiculturalism and reconciliation with Indigenous Australians would be “one of my primary concerns”, but he was not publicly prominent on Aboriginal issues after that, as he rose through Labor’s ranks. So it came as surprise to some that he invested so much political capital in…
Finally, just months out from the election, the Liberal Party is tackling the Augean stable that is its New South Wales division. It is a task that should have been a priority two years ago, after the division’s toxic factionalism had been on inglorious display in the run-up to the 2022 federal election. As Liberal leader, Peter Dutton has performed better than most observers expected. In this week’s Newspoll, the opposition is equal with the government on a two-party basis. On current polling, Dutton could push Albanese into minority government. But, until now, Dutton had not managed to force the…
The Albanese government faces a likely High Court challenge to its installation of an administrator into the construction division of the CFMEU. As thousands of the union’s members held rallies in cities across the country, its former Queensland secretary Michael Ravbar – who’s been dismissed together with almost all other officials – said he would launch a challenge against the legislation passed last week to put the union into administration. An administrator was immediately installed. Ravbar told the Brisbane rally: “This is going to be the biggest challenge and the biggest fight that we’ve ever had, but we’re all up…
An “aviation industry ombuds scheme” and improved assistance for passengers with a disability will be among measures the federal government will announce on Monday to force airlines to address the extensive public discontent with their services. A new aviation customer rights charter will set out “fair and reasonable” conduct by airlines and airports, including when flights are delayed or cancelled. It will cover customers’ entitlements to refunds, and when these must be provided in cash rather than with travel vouchers. This follows class actions against both Qantas and Jetstar that allege they have failed to provide timely cash refunds for…