Alice Jordan-Baird (Gorton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) notes that the reforms to the low-income superannuation tax offset (LISTO) the Treasurer announced on 13 October 2025 will:

(a) increase the LISTO by $310 to $810; and

(b) raise the eligibility threshold from $37,000 to $45,000;

(2) acknowledges that these reforms will deliver a more secure retirement for 1.3 million Australians, of which around 60 per cent are women, with the total number of Australians eligible for LISTO increasing to 3.1 million;

(3) takes note of the legislation currently before the Parliament that ensures superannuation is paid on time to help more Australians get the secure retirement they need and deserve; and

(4) further acknowledges that only the current Government will protect Australians' superannuation because of our commitment for Australians to earn more, keep more of what they earn, and to retire with more as well.

This motion goes to the reforms of the low-income superannuation tax offset, or LISTO that the Treasurer announced in October this year. These reforms will deliver a more secure retirement for 1.3 million Australians, of which around 60 per cent are women, with the total number of Australians eligible for the LISTO increasing to 3.1 million. Only the Albanese Labor government will protect Australian superannuation, because of our commitment that Australians earn more, keep more of what they earn and retire with more. I'm really pleased to move the motion before the House today, recognising the significant impact this reform will have for people across Australia and in my electorate of Gorton.

Low-income workers are too often undervalued in our society—retail workers, hospitality workers, administrative assistants, cleaners, disability and aged-care workers, and farm workers. They put food on our table, care for our loved ones, and keep our workspaces, schools and community facilities clean. These are people who have worked their whole lives in service of our community, and it's not fair that this sometimes means they don't get to have financial stability in their retirement. Our government's reforms to the low-income tax offset will give low-income earners more security and stability in their retirement. The changes announced by the Treasurer last month increase the offset from $310 to $810, directly boosting low-income earners' retirement savings and allowing them greater financial security in their future. By raising the eligibility threshold from earning $37,000 per year to earning $45,000 per year, more individuals will also be able to access the offset—more than 2,000 people in my electorate of Gorton.

I've worked in takeaway food service. I've been underpaid. I've been treated poorly by customers, and my contribution has been undervalued. I know that working in retail and hospitality can be a hard slog. It takes a toll on your physical and mental health. You work long hours on your feet with few breaks. More often than not, your pay doesn't reflect your skills, your experience or the challenges of your work. It's not right that people working in these jobs are held back in their retirement. The low-income tax offset is a tangible step towards rectifying this injustice. The LISTO makes a contribution into a person's super, in addition to their employer's contribution, if they meet the requirements. Depending on their circumstances, the LISTO could see an extra $15,000 added to an individual's retirement savings. This amount will make a huge difference to these individuals' lives, giving them the security and peace of mind that their retirement is taken care of.

This reform isn't just about economic justice. It's also about gender equity. Sixty per cent of low-income workers are women, and workers in industries dominated by women are still paid less than in those dominated by men. For these reasons, women end up with much less super than their male counterparts. This reform will mean 1.3 million more Australians—around 55 per cent of whom will be women—will have a more secure retirement, reducing financial inequity between men and women and ensuring that women have financial security and autonomy in their retirement.

I want to talk about how these changes will affect those in my electorate of Gorton. At the most recent count, nearly 15 per cent of people in Gorton worked as clerical and administrative workers, over 10 per cent as community and personal service workers, and nine per cent as sales workers. These are people I see in my office on their one afternoon off a month. These are people who spend their weekends at community events, even though they often work long hours in demanding conditions. These occupations are some of the lowest paid in our workforce, but without them everything would grind to a halt. They deserve the dignity of savings for when they retire, just like any other worker.

Labor is the party of super. It was Prime Minister Keating who created the compulsory superannuation system, ensuring every Australian has savings when they retire, and it is clear from a decade under the coalition that only Labor will protect super. I'm really proud to be part of a government that is building on Keating's legacy, defending the dignity of low-income workers and working towards a more equitable system.

See this speech in context