The Australian superannuation system has grown rapidly since the introduction of the Superannuation Guarantee in 1992, both in terms of funds under management and coverage. Almost all employed Australians contribute to superannuation. Collectively, Australians currently have around $2 trillion of assets in superannuation funds, comprising about 20 per cent of total household assets. Superannuation will...

In the 1980s the Australian Personal Income Tax was highly progressive and family payments were universal. The system ranked well in terms of gender equity and female labour supply incentives. During the Howard years the progressivity of the rate scale declined dramatically despite rising inequality in wages, income and wealth, and the individual as the...

There is considerable debate about the size of fees charged by superannuation funds. This paper investigates both investment fees and administration fees and shows that there are economically valid reasons why most investment fees are set at their current level. Our results show that on average, retail funds are charging both higher investment fees and...

Using a comprehensive dataset of Australian superannuation funds, we examine the relationship between investment fees and fund performance. We find that the most expensive funds produce significantly higher after-fee raw returns than the cheapest funds. The findings suggest that retirement balances will not be worse off if superannuation investors are to hold the more expensive...

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull claims changes to the tax treatment of superannuation for those who have high account balances or who plan to make large after-tax contributions in the future, are not retrospective.