THE re-emergence of a proposal to allow women to access their superannuation to escape domestic violence has been slammed by Dunkley MP Peta Murphy.
The federal government’s plan would have allowed women to access $10,000 from their own superannuation. Ms Murphy said the proposal was “not okay”.
“Women fleeing domestic violence should not be forced to choose between their and their children’s safety and their financial futures,” she said. “This government continues to fail to listen to the concerns of women across the country and repeatedly presents wholly inadequate, and in this case, counterproductive, responses.
“The response of the Morrison government to women needing to flee violent relationships is to say, ‘We know you earn 42 per cent less than men in superannuation, we know that the fastest-growing cohort of homeless people is women over the age of 55, and we know that single women in retirement are more likely to live in poverty than men, but don’t worry—if you need to escape a domestic violent relationship, you can draw down on your retirement savings in order to do so.’ It defies belief that women who are protesting should not only be glad they’re not getting shot but should also have to go into poverty to escape violence.”
Nine newspapers reported earlier this month that the federal government would be moving forward with the plan, which was first floated in 2018. The following week Senator Marise Payne told senate estimates that the government would not be pursuing the policy.
