SUPERANNUATION changes proposed in the budget are broadly fair, but have been poorly communicated, National Seniors has said.
The lobby group weighed in on the issue amid speculation the changes will come under the microscope after attracting criticism from within the government, as well as from worried retirees.
National Seniors chief advocate Sarah Saunders said Australians were not sure what things like the $1.6 million tax-free limit and the $10,000 reduction in the concessional cap would mean to them.
"National Seniors believes the super changes are fair, and generous top-end concessions represent money better spent in areas like health and aged care," chief advocate Sarah Saunders said.
"But rushing straight from the May budget to the noise of an election campaign was not the ideal way to sell them.
"People have had very little time to unpack the changes and there's been a lot of confusion."
She said action including the rollover of concessional caps and widening access to partner contributions were particularly welcome.
However there had been some angst over the new lower cap on concessional contributions, with women returning to work late in life among those worst affected.
"Ultimately it's important to have certainty around the retirement income system and changes should be careful, open to discussion and not driven from a single quarter," she said.
"It's only fair that people who've planned based upon a particular set of rules have time to adjust, otherwise confidence in the entire system is undermined."
Ms Saunders said an even more worrying issue for older people was the implementation of pension assets test changes due to take effect in January 2017.
"Combined with historically low interest rates, the assets test change will see self-funded retirees near the thresholds living off less than a full pensioner," she said.
