Parliament | Can spousal transfers close the gender super gap?
Summary Points.
Senator the Hon. Jane Hume – former Minister for Financial Services in the Morrison Government – has introduced a private member's bill carrying the ambitious title 'Tackling the Gender Super Gap'.
The bill proposes voluntary spousal superannuation redistribution to address the gender super gap;
The mechanism would allow annual transfers between spouses with different super balances, subject to strict eligibility criteria;
As a private member's bill without broad support, immediate passage appears unlikely;
While the bill would reduce the gender gap on paper, it doesn't address underlying structural causes; and
More comprehensive policy solutions may be needed to create genuine retirement income equality.