Politics · Australia · 4 hrs ago
Liberal MP says party should rule out changes to super access
Australian Liberal MP Garth Hamilton says most colleagues support keeping super rules unchanged.
The proposal would rule out letting people withdraw retirement savings early to help buy a first home.
The Coalition backed allowing withdrawals of up to $50,000 for a first-home deposit at the past two elections, and some senior Liberals have continued to support early access.
Shadow Housing Minister Andrew Bragg and Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson have argued for ways to use super to help with home ownership.
Hamilton says super is important to Australians’ retirement security, and that changing how it is invested, taxed or accessed would undermine confidence.
He has discussed the issue with Opposition Leader Angus Taylor, who Hamilton says recognises it as an important policy discussion.
The Liberal Party has not adopted a formal policy position since its defeat at last year’s election.
Liberal MP Garth Hamilton says he believes he has majority support in the party room to rule out changes to superannuation access.
He says the party should make no changes to how super is invested, taxed or accessed.
The position would rule out allowing people to withdraw super early to help buy a home.
Shadow Housing Minister Andrew Bragg and Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson have argued for options to use super for housing.
The Liberal Party has not adopted a formal policy position on super since its election defeat last year.
- Who
- Liberal MP Garth Hamilton says he is pushing for the party to rule out changes to super access.
- What
- He wants the Liberal Party to support no changes to how super is invested, taxed or accessed.
- When
- He made the comments in an interview with the ABC’s Insiders. The article was published on October 31, 2026.
- Where
- Within the Liberal Party in Australia.
- Why
- Hamilton says the position would provide security, stability and confidence in the super system.
Garth Hamilton
Andrew Bragg and Tim Wilson
Early access to super
Garth Hamilton
Hamilton says the party should make no changes to how super is invested, taxed or accessed.
Andrew Bragg and Tim Wilson
Bragg has proposed using super for housing, and Wilson has argued that home ownership should take priority over retirement savings.
Purpose of super
Garth Hamilton
Hamilton says the current rules matter to Australians and should be protected.
Andrew Bragg and Tim Wilson
Wilson argues home ownership should be the primary economic interest during working life and retirement.
The Coalition adopted a policy allowing up to $50,000 to be withdrawn from super for a first-home deposit.
The Liberal Party did not adopt a formal superannuation policy position after the defeat.
Andrew Bragg told the ABC that super could be used to help pay off a mortgage or obtain a first-home loan.
The ABC reported Hamilton’s claim that he had majority support for ruling out changes to super access.
- Proposed withdrawal limit
- Up to $50,000 for a first-home deposit under the Coalition’s past policy
- Liberal MP
- Garth Hamilton, member for Groom
- Party leader consulted
- Angus Taylor
- Alternative proposal
- One Nation has proposed diverting 3 per cent of wages from super contributions to take-home pay for three years
- Article published
- October 31, 2026
What people are saying
I think we should be offering no changes at all to how it's invested, taxed or accessed
What this is trying to do is saying we hear you, we hear the challenges that Australians are facing, and we want to support that
This is why home ownership is so important, and we need it to take precedence as the primary economic interest for retirement and during your working life
You could take it out to pay off a mortgage or to pull together a first home loan