Whatever your stage in life, every one of us should be able to look forward to a comfortable and dignified retirement after a lifetime of hard work. 

That’s why unions built Australia’s superannuation system. And why we need to fight to make it stronger.  

But the fact is that bosses are short-changing younger workers – and parents who take career breaks to raise children are also missing out. Meanwhile, many older workers simply can’t afford to stop working. Women are most at risk of retiring in poverty; we have 30 percent less super savings than men, on average.  

We can fix this. Employer contributions are still too low – so let’s raise the rate. And gig workers, under-18s and those with disabilities may miss out on super altogether. Many others don’t get super on big chunks of income like penalty rates, allowances, workers’ compensation and employer-funded paid parental leave. Let’s close these loopholes.  

At the same time, wealthy Australians are using the super system as a tax dodge that’s costing us billions. Let’s lift up those of us who really do need support as we prepare for retirement.