Jim Chalmers has been forced into a humiliating backdown as he announced sweeping changes to the government’s proposed superannuation reforms.

After telling all and sundry for more than two years that the government would not be changing its super proposals, though welcoming all genuine feedback, Chalmers announced changes on Monday to the package that addressed criticism.

Jim Chalmers announced significant changes to the government’s superannuation tax policy on Monday.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

The changes that have been made are sensible ones that almost all economists have been begging for. But this is quite the reversal from Chalmers and Labor, one that could have been made much sooner, and which also highlights, once again, the innate caution at the heart of the Albanese government.

The timing of the announcement was cynical: it came on the same day that the remaining Israeli hostages are being released, an event of global significance, and just as the prime minister began his first week of leave since the May election. Anthony Albanese is unavailable to answer questions about a decision he signed off on Friday.

As it was originally devised,........

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