Federal Labor has accused Treasurer Josh Frydenberg of paving the way for ditching the legislated increases to compulsory superannuation guarantee and caving into backbench pressure.
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"In this government the tail wags the treasurer," shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers and assistant shadow treasurer Stephen Jones said in a statement.
Earlier, Mr Frydenberg told Sky News' Sunday Agenda program the government is still considering whether to go ahead with legislated increases to the super guarantee.
The changes would incrementally lift the guarantee to 12 per cent, starting with an increase from 9.5 per cent to 10 per cent next year.
The legislated increases had already been delayed a number of years by former prime minister Tony Abbott and treasurer Joe Hockey.
"We're considering the issue, bearing in mind we are in the middle of a crisis," Mr Frydenberg said.
"The superannuation guarantee is expected to ... increase next year and that's not a decision that is to be made right away."
He cited a number of organisations that either want the increase delayed further, or scrapped.
These include the Australian Council of Social Services, the Grattan Institute and small businesses.
Mr Frydenberg also pointed to Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe who recently said increasing the guarantee could reduce wages or delay wage increases over the next few years.
"An increase in the super guarantee will mean lower wages, lower wages means lower income, lower incomes means less spending, less spending means less jobs," the treasurer said.
"Ultimately, what we have to consider is the timing of that particular issue."
Dr Chalmers and Mr Jones said Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Mr Frydenberg were laying the groundwork to break their election promise to safeguard Australians' retirements and despite recommitting to the the super guarantee increases multiple times since the election.
"The Liberals have opposed every increase in the superannuation guarantee since its inception and after months of denials and delays they're at it again," they said.
Labor is also demanding the government immediately release the retirement income review that it received more than a month ago.
Australian Associated Press