Is super a bigger political bomb than Medicare? We're about to find out

Barnaby Joyce had made false claims 17 times before the line dropped in his Radio National interview. Later, he joked that Jim Chalmers had lied about One Nation and the Coalition opposing universal super, comparing it to the infamous "Mediscare." The comparison is apt, as Chalmers has aggressively framed the next election as a super referendum, exaggerating claims that opponents want to destroy the system.

While Hanson and Bragg have been more colorful in their criticism, the issue remains contentious. Some within the Coalition and Labor are eyeing the super guarantee as a potential vote-winner. A senior Labor figure declared it bigger than Medicare, but on the right, there are doubts about voters' willingness to access their super prematurely.

Despite super's proven benefits in boosting retirement wealth, businesses often absorb the cost of higher super contributions, reducing wage growth. The debate over whether the guarantee should increase from 9.5% to 12% has been contentious. Treasury and Grattan Institute have warned that super may over-prepare retirees, while some on the conservative side believe the guarantee is too high.

The Coalition has previously eroded super through first-homebuyers' access, but the idea has been criticized by economists. Meanwhile, Hanson proposes allowing people to draw down super for cost-of-living measures, which could lead to a political war of slogans between Labor and the Coalition.