Give them their money’: Pauline Hanson calls for end to compulsory super
News.com.au
August 16, 2026
Pauline Hanson has opened the door to an end to compulsory super, suggesting low-income earners would be better off taking the money now as a pay rise.
One Nation has previously called for workers to be able to unlock their superannuation funds to buy a family home - with caveats.
The Australian superannuation system currently holds over $4 trillion in total retirement assets, making Australia a global superpower in retirement savings.
Speaking on News24, Senator Hanson said she was open to radical options, including rethinking the entire super guarantee that requires employers to pay 12 per cent on top of salaries into super funds.
“Look, there’s a lot in that one with compulsory superannuation,’’ Senator Hanson said.
“A lot of Australians are doing it tough now and struggling to pay their mortgages.
“In some ways, I feel that you should give them their money now and let them help them with the cost of living. It is their money; they’ve sacrificed it in lieu of pay.
“So, in a lot of cases, people want it.”
Echoing Liberal frontbencher Andrew Bragg’s concerns, she said that the super system wasn’t resulting in the reduction of people claiming the aged pension that had been expected.
“It was supposed to be for in later years, so the government didn’t have to pay out full age pensions to these people,’’ she said.
“A lot of people (are) pulling out their superannuation, spending it, then end up on the age pension anyway. I think the whole system is broken, to tell you the truth.”
Senator Hanson has previously backed calls to use super for housing, with important caveats.
Upon a sale of the property, proceeds commensurate with the superannuation investment would be returned to the fund.
“We brought out the policy that you could use the superannuation to put a deposit on your own home loan,’’ she said.
“You know that we brought that out years ago. Let people use that money to help them now in a state of crisis.
“You know, and some people, you know, who need these operations can’t get access to their superannuation to have that done.
“Superannuation should be lightened up a bit so people can utilise this money in times of crisis. It is their money.”
Liberals consider super overhaul
Liberal leader Angus Taylor is under pressure from his own frontbench to consider a radical overhaul to superannuation.
Outspoken Liberal Senator Andrew Bragg has confirmed he believes that compulsory super is a failed policy that’s ripe for a rethink.
Mr Bragg set the hares running last week with a speech at the National Press Club before making further comments to ABC Radio on Thursday that the super guarantee was a failed policy.
“It hasn’t worked,” Mr Bragg said.
“I mean, it’s one of the biggest public policy failures since federation, in the sense that it hasn’t helped the budget, and it has not really helped many people get off the pension.
“What it has done is it has created a huge viper’s nest for banks and financiers and unions to pilfer, which is why what you saw at the Labor Party conference was now you’re going to have super for under 18s, and soon you’ll have super for cats and dogs.”
Andrew Bragg says compulsory super is one of the ‘biggest public policy failures’ since Federation.
Mr Bragg, the author of a book on super called Bad Egg, said Australians now lived in a society where there is “superannuation for everything”.
“Most of their policies are driven (by) vested interest because they like to put their fingers into the till and pull out lots of money,” he said.
“Of course, that’s why they’ve given (former Labor MP turned superannuation chairman) Wayne Swan an award for being the world’s best person. Even though, of course, he is the chairman of a fund that doesn’t pay death benefits.”
Asked if the Coalition should campaign to reduce the super guarantee from 12 per cent of wages to a lower number, Mr Bragg said the status quo should be debated.
“I’m sceptical about the system’s capacity to deliver for the nation, but that’s something that I’d need to discuss with colleagues,” he said.
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