Early access to super benefits one group. You’re probably not a part of it

September 11, 2026 — 5:00am

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If Pauline Hanson – or any other politician running for One Nation – is reading this piece, they may be the exceptions to the rule.

The party’s latest thought bubble: giving renters and mortgagees (about two-thirds of Australians) early access to their super is another attempt to win voters.

I like to think most Australians are reasonable enough to realise this policy benefits virtually no one.

It’s not the first counterproductive policy the party has brought to the table. And still, One Nation remains on Labor’s heels in the polls – sometimes even overtaking the government.

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It’s pretty clear that One Nation is going by the populist playbook that seems to be working across much of the world: claiming to be going in to bat for the “battlers”.

They have, like many other populist parties and leaders around the world, been making the most of voters’ frustration over rapidly rising prices and cost of living.

Unfortunately, especially when people are having a hard time, it’s much easier for policies which seem like an immediate fix – but may actually be damaging to most people’s livelihoods – to stick.

Being able to access your superannuation early might seem like a good idea, especially if you’ve been having to make big sacrifices to get by and feel like you’ve been hard done by.

Humans tend to suffer from a cognitive bias that makes us overvalue immediate “rewards” (such as access to money) over delayed ones, even if a reward in the future is bigger.

It’s part of the reason why we have a superannuation system. By getting employers to pay 12 per cent of our salary into our superannuation fund, we’re forced to save some of our earnings for........

© Brisbane Times