You shouldn’t be surprised to learn that Pauline Hanson – she of the “I didn’t flip-flop, I said no originally, then I said yes. Then I have said no, and I’ve stuck to it” fame – is attempting to cover off all sides of the superannuation debate.
The One Nation leader supports a 0.5% increase to the super compulsory rate, but only if people don’t cash it all out and spend it on Landcruisers and caravans.
If they do, then she wants the whole super scheme clarified.
And if it turns out you can cash it out, then maybe a wage increase would be better.

One Nation’s leader Pauline Hanson Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian
“While the money belongs to the employee, it wasn’t designed to be cashed out as a lump sum and blown, only to leave a person on a government pension for the rest of their lives,” she said.
“People should not be encouraged to squander their superannuation. It defeats the purpose of the scheme.
“If we don’t reclarify the purpose of superannuation now, we might as well just give these increases to people through their pay packets.”
Everyone clear? Yup. It’s a bet both ways. Which is standard for One Nation.
Pauline Hanson ??
(@PaulineHansonOz)
MEDIA RELEASE | Statement From Senator Pauline Hanson on Superannuation.https://t.co/y9F9v3Jg4l
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Sir Michael Fallon, a former British defence secretary, asked Scott Morrison how it would be possible to persuade China that it would be in its own interests to abide by the Law of the Sea Convention and independent rulings on its South China Sea claims.

Sir Michael Fallon Photograph: Penelope Barritt/REX/Shutterstock
Morrison said this was “the $64,000 question, really”. It was very difficult to “understand the mind of China and their outlook, but it is our task to seek to do so”.
Of course, there are tensions. I won’t deny that. But I do feel that many of the tensions are based on some misunderstandings. And I think one of the key misunderstandings is a level of confidence about what we see is the end result.
Our end result from Australia’s point of view as I said, is not containment. Our end result is happy coexistence, respecting each other’s sovereignty and systems and being able to happily coexist in a mutually beneficial relationship.
And I believe that’s where both parties of this relationship have a lot more work to do to get to that shared understanding of what we see the ultimate goal as being.
Morrison suggested the incoming Biden administration may have an impact on the Washington/Beijing ties: “Perhaps the atmospherics of that relationship will change following the most recent election.”
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Scott Morrison: Australia will be ‘patient’ and ‘consistent’ with China
Scott Morrison says his government will remain “patient” and “consistent” as it seeks to navigate the current tensions with China.
The Q&A portion of the prime minister’s virtual appearance at a British thinktank event last night has arrived in journalists’ inboxes.
As reported by Katharine Murphy overnight, Morrison called on major powers such as the US and China to try not to force their allies and partners into binary choices, as middle powers like Australia needed some more latitude or “room to move”.
Morrison took a few questions after his Policy Exchange speech, including from Tom Tugendhat, the chair of the UK House of Commons foreign affairs select committee, who asked about how Morrison saw the UK’s role in working with Australia, Japan, India and others in defending the international order.

Prime minister Scott Morrison Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian
Morrison claimed Australia’s policies when it comes to the rules-based order and the Indo-Pacific “are no different today than they were in John Howard’s time” – although he suggested there were “some things that have changed, of course, to our north”.
Alluding to this year’s trade actions by China, Morrison said all countries should take seriously their obligations to comply with the letter and the spirit of World Trade Organization rules “because that’s what makes it all hang together”.
“We’ve just got to be patient about this, and we just need to be consistent in holding to these positions and pursuing them in a way that seeks to get to where we all want to be at the end of the day.”
The aim was to ensure countries in the Indo-Pacific could freely trade and enjoy economic growth and prosperity.
China’s advance was “good” and it was not the objective of Australia or other regional players to contain China economically. It was important to be as clear in delivering that message as possible, including in partnership with like-minded countries like the UK.
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No decision yet on SA border, says Queensland’s chief health officer
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