DOORSTOP – Mural Hall, Parliament House

Transcript

Monday, 17 August 2026

Topics: wages; inflation; lending indicators; superannuation; migration.

E&OE……………………..

Tim Wilson: Last week we saw directly the consequences of the Albanese government's budget. Forget the spin, forget the lies, just get to the facts. After the federal budget, 5.4 per cent drop in new first home buyer loans. Australians are going backwards under the Albanese government, but aspirational first home buyers are being knee-capped by the Albanese government because they're making it harder for Australians to buy their first home. They're making it less confident in the marketplace for people to build new homes, and we are seeing Australians fall backward faster than we've ever seen before.

We know that in the wage data last week, despite the boasts of the government, they're high fiving themselves that with inflation, Australians are falling $1,200 a year behind in their wages. I cannot believe a situation, and I have never seen a situation where a government high fives themselves because they see real wages going backwards. Australians are getting poorer under this government, and they're going backwards under this government because they simply do not understand how to grow the economy or build out the economic opportunity for future generations.

And this morning we now see the Treasurer out there chomping at the bit to have another fight, when he won't even fix the fight we need to improve wages and lift the standards of living for everyday Australians. What we have currently is a government that is fixated on itself, that wants to have a fight about superannuation because there is nothing they will do to stop their control of Australians' money. They want to control Australians' money, control their superannuation because it gives them political power. Labor will do nothing to stop the graft in superannuation that goes on to fund their campaigns and the trade union movement. The Labor Party sees superannuation as their money, not the money of Australians. They don't see it as part of a pathway for Australians to improve their lives or have their economic security. The Labor Party sees superannuation as a honeypot for graft and corruption for the Labor Party, and that's the problem with the Albanese government writ large. Fewer first home buyers, $1,200 less in wages, and seeing superannuation as a honeypot for graft and corruption, not Australians' money for retirement security.

Journalist: Do you agree with One Nation that more Australians just should be able to access their super in general, even if it’s not just a complete scrap on compulsory super?

Tim Wilson: For starters, people can already in positions of hardship do so. What we want to do is make sure Australians have control of their superannuation, own their superannuation, and not have it exposed to graft and corruption via the Australian Labor Party. And this is the problem with the Albanese government. First home buyer applications down 5.4 per cent in the June quarter. Wages going backwards $1,200 a year. And of course, they see the superannuation system as a honeypot for graft and corruption for the interests of the Australian Labor Party, not the retirement security of Australians.

Journalist: Does it risk though, that level of investment, we've got, you know, trillions of dollars in super. Donald Trump pointed it out himself in the phone call with the Prime Minister last week. Do you risk the investments that Australians have made if super goes down [inaudible]?

Tim Wilson: I don't believe the President of the United States would like the graft and corruption that the Labor Party takes from the superannuation system. I don't believe the President of the United States looks to the graft and corruption of the Australian Labor Party of our super system as something to replicate. I think he'd be shocked to see the graft and corruption that the trade union movement and the Labor Party takes from the super system and how it doesn't end up being Australians' money under the Labor vision, where they see Australian superannuation savings as their money, not your money.

Journalist: Should the rules around accessing super in times of hardship be eased, or do you think they work fine as is?

Tim Wilson: We know full well that they've been made flexible in moments of crisis, but the real problem is inflation. The Treasurer has an active inflation agenda. He is literally addicted to inflation like an inflation junkie. We need to stop the dependence on inflation for the government to prop up its books. Every time inflation goes up, the cost to Australians goes up in higher interest rates and prices at the supermarket, and that's why Australian wages are going back $1,200 a year. Despite the government high-fiving itself over its numbers, the reality is Australians are going backwards $1,200 a year because of Jim Chalmers and Anthony Albanese's active inflation agenda.

Journalist: If people were to be able to be given more access to their super though, that's more money in their pockets. Would that not make inflation worse too?

Tim Wilson: As we’ve said, that's why we say we should get inflation down. The focus should be making sure that we take the pedal off Jim Chalmers and Anthony Albanese's active inflation agenda. They're addicted to inflation. They literally cannot find a new way where they can stoke the economy more to rise inflation, which puts upward pressure on interest rates, which puts upward pressure on the price of goods at the supermarket, and as a consequence, it gives them more tax revenue. They're silent thieves in the way they approach inflation because they want Australians' money in their hip pocket.

Journalist: Just on working holiday visas. Does the Coalition support a slowdown on working holiday visa applications?

Tim Wilson: What we want to do is have a sustainable migration program that works in Australia's national interest and making sure we have the labour supply to staff pubs, make sure there's enough people to pick fruit and keep our economy going is an important part of an overall mix for our migration program. But let's be very clear, the purpose of Australia's migration program is to serve Australia's national interest. We want people to come to this country, to commit to this country, and to contribute to this country so that we can grow the whole of Australia to the benefit of Australians.

Journalist: Can you rule out any changes to compulsory super under a Coalition government?

Tim Wilson: We've consistently done that at every election. Let's be very clear about this. We do not believe that superannuation is money for the benefit of the Australian Labor Party. We absolutely oppose any changes that are focused on increasing the amount of graft and corruption that the Labor Party takes from our superannuation system. They are addicted to seeing Australia's superannuation system to their benefit. Jim Chalmers and Anthony Albanese want to see superannuation serve the Labor Party's benefit, not make sure that it's there protected as retirement income. I'll give you this absolute guarantee: we absolutely believe that Australians’ superannuation money is their money. We do not believe for one second that Australians’ superannuation money is there to be a honeypot for the graft and corruption of the Australian Labor Party.

Journalist: So should people be forced to make compulsory payments?

Tim Wilson: People are forced to make compulsory payments.

Journalist: But would you change that?

Tim Wilson: No, that's ridiculous because only the Labor Party is interested in how they're going to maximise superannuation to benefit themselves, the graft and corruption that sits at the heart of the Labor Union CFMEU cartel model. Thank you very much.

[ENDS]