Let couples shift super between partners to even out their balances — back it or block it?
This private senator's bill from the Coalition's Senator Hume would let one member of a couple transfer part of their superannuation to their partner's account so the two balances are more even. Backers say it helps women and carers who took time out of paid work and ended up with far less super than their partner — for example, someone with $300,000 could move $75,000 to a partner with $150,000 so both hold $225,000. Labor argued it mainly helps a small number of wealthy couples cut their tax, and pointed to its own changes like paying super on government paid parental leave. After about an hour of debate the Senate voted it down 34 to 27.
🗳 A public mood-check, not a scientific poll. Vote to reveal how the chamber voted.
For · CoalitionSenators Henderson and McDonald said women and primary carers who leave work or go part-time to raise children or care for parents end up with much smaller super balances — a gap of around 25 per cent. Letting a couple rebalance their accounts, they argued, is a fair way to recognise that unpaid caring has value and to fix the situation for women who have already taken that time out.
For · One NationSenator Roberts said One Nation supports families and that lifting a partner's smaller super balance is sensible financial management. He argued the measure works both ways — for men or women who earn less — and fits the party's support for income splitting within families.
Against · Government (Labor)Senators O'Neill, Walker and others said the bill would mainly benefit roughly 100,000 to 130,000 already-wealthy couples, letting them shuffle money to reduce tax rather than helping women who earn less over a lifetime. They said the real fixes are paying super on paid parental leave (helping about 180,000 families a year, 95 per cent going to women), boosting the low-income super offset and payday super.