The Canberra Press Gallery was completely absorbed with the supposed politics of last week’s superannuation changes and completely failed to consider their merits and why the changes were therefore made.

A repost from 23 October 2025

Last week, the treasurer announced some modest changes to his proposed reforms to make the taxation of superannuation fairer.

But with no real consideration of the significance of these changes, the Canberra Press Gallery was obsessed with what it described as a major backflip. The Australian, for example, called Jim Chalmer’s announcement “a dramatic backdown”, and even the esteemed Michelle Grattan called the announcement “a major retreat” driven by Anthony Albanese.

As the gallery sees it, Chalmers was rolled by an ever-timid Albanese, with consequently bad portents for any future reforms by an Albanese-led government.

Rather than analyse the significance and merits of the changes, the gallery’s reports were focused on the politics of the changes. And the gallery is unanimous. It is more important for these commentators to be part of the herd and win each other’s approval, than to ever think for themselves about the significance and impact of these policy changes.

As will be shown below, the changes to the proposed superannuation reforms are of a tidying up nature and tell us nothing about the future relationship between Albanese and his treasurer. Nor do they support the press gallery’s interpretation that these superannuation changes are a warning that Chalmers will find it difficult to get the prime minister to agree to any future ambitious tax reform agenda.

The superannuation tax changes

At present, the income from superannuation is taxed at 15% and the main thrust of the superannuation reforms, as originally announced around........

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