Budget 2022: ‘Watch this space’ on super on paid parental leave

Superannuation on paid parental leave remains on the Government’s agenda, according to assistant  Treasurer Stephen Jones, despite its omission from the Budget.

Last night, Treasurer Jim Chalmers announced paid parental leave would be extended from 18 weeks to 26 weeks but stopped short of announcing that super would be paid on it.

This was a measure that had been called for by several super organisations.

In discussion with the Financial Services Council (FSC), Jones said it was about “finding headroom” to fund it.

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“Of course we want to do super on paid parental leave,” he told FSC chief executive, Blake Briggs.

“There’s not a person in Government who doesn’t want to bring it in but it’s about finding the headroom and being able to line it up. We couldn’t do that in this Budget. But everyone, including the Prime Minister, is committed to trying to find a way to do this so watch this space.”

Mel Birks, deputy chief executive of the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees, said: “It is disappointing that 11 years after paid parental leave was introduced, it is the only paid leave that does not have super paid on it. We wonder how long parents will have to wait until this anomaly in the retirement savings system is rectified.

“It perpetuates the gender gap that sees women retiring with 40% lower super balances than men on average because they spend more time out of the workforce caring for children and other family members.”