The Daily Aus Australia's gender superannuation gap
Sep 7, 2025
The podcast delves into Australia's significant gender superannuation gap, where women often retire with much lower savings compared to men. It highlights a new legislative push to allow tax-free super splitting for couples, aimed at promoting financial equality. The discussion also touches on various strategies, including extended paid parental leave and mandatory gender pay gap reporting, to improve women's financial security. Insights are shared on the impact of societal norms and the involvement of Indigenous communities in addressing these issues.
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Scale Of The Gender Super Gap
- Women retire with about 25% less superannuation than men on average, translating to roughly $52,000 less at retirement.
- Median super for men 60–64 is ~$204,000 versus ~$147,000 for women in the same age group.
Caregiving Costs Compound Over Time
- The largest driver of the super gap is women taking career breaks as primary carers, which reduces contributions and long-term investment growth.
- Missing early contributions compounds over decades, meaning a dollar lost today can become multiple dollars by retirement.
Pay Gap Directly Shrinks Super
- The gender pay gap (women earn ~78 cents per dollar compared to men) reduces lifetime super because contributions track salary.
- Underrepresentation in higher-paid roles further limits women's super accumulation.