Politics · Australia · 3 days ago
Proposal to use super for housing renews debate over Australia’s retirement system
One Nation and Liberal senator Andrew Bragg have proposed allowing Australians to use some of their superannuation savings for housing.
The idea is being debated as the country faces a cost-of-living crisis and a housing shortage.
Australia introduced compulsory superannuation in 1992, building a system in which workers save for retirement.
Labor and the union movement have long viewed the system as a social justice measure, while many Liberals have argued that super is workers’ own money and questioned the role of union-linked funds.
A first-home scheme introduced in 2017 already allows people to use some super for a home deposit.
The wider argument is about whether changing access to super would help with housing pressures and what it could mean for retirement savings.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers says the next federal election will be a referendum on super.
One Nation and Liberal senator Andrew Bragg have recently proposed allowing more superannuation savings to be used for housing.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers says the Coalition and One Nation are “coming after super” and would “vandalise” the retirement savings scheme.
The debate concerns whether savings set aside for retirement should instead help people meet housing costs amid a cost-of-living crisis and housing shortage.
Australia’s compulsory superannuation system was legislated in 1992 by the Keating Labor government.
A first-home scheme introduced in 2017 already allows some use of superannuation for a home deposit.
- Who
- One Nation and Liberal senator Andrew Bragg have revived proposals to use superannuation for housing; Treasurer Jim Chalmers opposes them.
- What
- The debate is over whether people should be able to use more of their retirement savings for housing.
- When
- One Nation and Bragg have recently suggested the idea; the article was published on 9 October 2026.
- Where
- Australia.
- Why
- The proposals are being discussed amid a cost-of-living crisis and a housing shortage.
Supporters of allowing super for housing
Opponents, including Jim Chalmers
Purpose
Supporters of allowing super for housing
One Nation and Andrew Bragg have suggested people should be able to use superannuation for housing.
Opponents, including Jim Chalmers
Chalmers says the Coalition and One Nation are “coming after super” and would “vandalise” the retirement savings scheme.
View of superannuation
Supporters of allowing super for housing
Liberal MP Tim Wilson says superannuation is “your money”, compulsorily acquired by government mandate.
Opponents, including Jim Chalmers
Labor and the broader labour movement regard themselves as custodians of superannuation as a social justice measure.
Shadow treasurer John Howard criticised the industrial precursor to the superannuation legislation as the “Keating/Kelty accord”.
The Keating Labor government legislated Australia’s national system of compulsory superannuation.
John Howard and treasurer Peter Costello introduced choice-of-fund legislation.
The Turnbull government introduced the First Home Super Saver Scheme.
One Nation and Liberal senator Andrew Bragg suggested allowing superannuation savings to be used for housing.
- Superannuation system
- Legislated in 1992
- Savings pool
- $4.8tn
- Choice-of-fund legislation
- Introduced in 2005
- First Home Super Saver Scheme
- Introduced in 2017
- Proposal proponents
- One Nation and Liberal senator Andrew Bragg
What people are saying
coming after super
vandalise
before superannuation, when you got the sack, you got nothing
never again can you leave workers in a position where they’ve got nothing.
Sources
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