Assistant Treasurer Nick Sherry has admitted he once said staying the superannuation guarantee was a Labor election promise.
As part of the federal government’s response to the Henry tax review last week, it proposed to gradually boost the money employers pay into their workers’ super from nine per cent to 12 per cent over the next 10 years, starting in 2013-14.
Liberal senator Scott Ryan said Senator Sherry told a newspaper on August 8, 2008 that that would not happen.
Senator Ryan said the article quoted Senator Sherry as saying:
“One of our election commitments was we will not be increasing the nine per cent super guarantee which is payable by the employer.
“We have ruled it out and we will be sticking to that.”
Senator Sherry said he probably did say something along those lines – and to a radio station as well.
“I will accept that I did indicate an approach to the superannuation guarantee in words of a very similar or like nature,” he told parliament.
“I will take your word for it that the quote is accurate.
“I made a comment similar or of a like nature on a number of occasions.”