Tyrrell warns Treasurer against super changes

Senator Tammy Tyrrell has warned the Treasurer against changes stopping people accessing their super prior to retirement.

“It’s all well and good for people to save their money for a 'dignified retirement', but there are a whole lot of people who need dignity now.”

"Mum was on the waiting list for more than 6 years. She got to the point where she couldn't even walk. She was chair-bound in the lounge room all day. She had to walk on her toes. She couldn't cook, she couldn't clean herself, she was desperate." 

"If you're spending ten years waiting for surgery, because you can't afford private surgery, and you're getting worse every year that passes, where's the dignity that superannuation is supposed to provide you? Being told you can't be trusted with your own money, when you need it most, isn't how you respect someone's dignity." 

"I'd have dipped into my own superannuation to pay for her surgery if I could have."

Media release published on 23rd February 2023.