Skip to Main Content
 
assisting housing affordability
Media Releases

Role for super to increase affordable housing supply - not add to demand

  Published: 10 Apr 2017

Industry Super Australia (ISA) welcomes policy suggestions by the Federal Government that would increase opportunities for super fund investment to expand affordable housing stock, but pumping up demand by allowing first home-buyers to tap into their super would be short-sighted and counterproductive.

Treasurer Scott Morrison outlined in his speech to the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) that the government is looking into policies that would provide opportunities for institutional investment to increase affordable housing supply.

However, ISA rejects other policies floated in the media today such as allowing young Australians to dip into their super to buy their first home. Diverting super contributions would cripple super investment returns and push up housing prices.

“Providing greater opportunities for institutional investment – such as Industry SuperFunds - to increase affordable housing supply is a step in the right direction,” said Industry Super Australia director of public affairs Matt Linden.

“Tackling the housing affordability crisis should rightly be a top priority for the Government with the policy focus being on increasing supply though land release, regulation and reviewing tax subsidies that fuel investment”.

“Industry SuperFunds are willing investors in affordable housing where returns are viable and welcome suggestions of creating new opportunities for institutional investment”.

Mr Linden said that other suggestions to tackle the housing crisis such as diverting super for housing deposits would increase prices and cripple super returns leaving members worse off in the long run.

“The super system relies heavily on compound interest over a member’s lifetime to drive adequate retirement outcomes. Dipping into super when balances are still relatively low will have negative effects on members’ ability to grow their balance and also lead to lack of diversification in their savings”.

“The housing affordability crisis will not be resolved by damaging the superannuation system”.

“It doesn’t matter how the policy is dressed up to make it seem more acceptable, it’s simply a bad policy,” he said.

The proposal is also inconsistent with the Government’s proposed objective of super announced in 2016 which is “to provide income in retirement to substitute or supplement the age pension”.

Matt Linden is available for interview. Media contact: Phil Davey 0414 867 188.

The opinions above are those of the author in their capacity as spokesperson for Industry Super Australia (ISA). ISA, the authors and all other persons involved in the preparation of this information are thereby not giving legal, financial or professional advice for individual persons or organisations. Consider your own objectives, financial situation and needs before making a decision about superannuation because they are not taken into account in this information. You should consider the Product Disclosure Statement available from individual funds before making an investment decision. Industry Super Australia Pty Ltd ABN 72 158 563 270, Corporate Authorised Representative No. 426006 of Industry Fund Services Ltd ABN 54 007 016 195 AFSL 232514 MEDIA

*The above material, whilst correct at the time of publication may include references or statements which are no longer current.

Got a topic you'd like to read about?

Thank you for your topic suggestion.

The message has been sent succesfully, check back soon to find if we wrote about the topic you suggested.

An error has occurred

Due to a technical fault we are unable to to submit your form at the moment. Please try again later.

Additional details:

To learn more about one of the Industry SuperFunds below click on their logo.

What's your question?

warning Your question will be sent directly to the fund you select

Talk to someone who knows how to help

warning Your question will be sent directly to the fund you select

  • You will be called back at the next available opportunity.

Thank you for your enquiry

An error has occurred

Due to a technical fault we are unable to to submit your form at the moment. Please try again later.

Additional details: