Albo facing another blow to major plans

Anthony Albanese’s efforts to get his legislative agenda across the line this year has been dealt another blow with the Coalition seeking changes on another key measure.

Deputy leader Sussan Ley on Wednesday announced the Coalition would move amendments to the government’s Bill to pay superannuation on paid parental leave.

The Coalition wants to give new parents the additional option of a $2900 lump sum payment or an additional two weeks off work in lieu of superannuation on paid parental.

“But I want to emphasise, you can still put the money in superannuation,” Ms Ley told Sky News.

It’s another headache for the government, which has just five more sitting weeks this year to get some of its major legislation through.

On Tuesday, the Coalition pulled support for the government’s reform of the Reserve Bank of Australia and held up progress of the overhaul of the aged care system.

It’s also come under fire from key sectors this week, including farmers, miners and universities.

Ms Ley said the Coalition’s amendments would still allow for parents to have the super paid on PPL, but that they should have options.

“We trust parents to be able to make the choices that suit them and their families, and the option is still there under our plan for them to put that money into superannuation,” she said.

“But I just remind everybody who, particularly in the Labor Party, who’s huffing and puffing about this, is that it’s your money. It’s not Big Super’s money, it’s not any superannuation fund’s money, it’s definitely not the government’s money.”

The government had trumpeted the super on PPL as a major win for women when it announced it in March.

Parents with babies born or adopted from July 1, 2025 who receive the minimum-wage support scheme will receive an additional 12 per cent as payment into their super funds.

Minister for Women Katy Gallagher said at the time the plan would help close the gender superannuation gap.

The Albanese government is facing some tough fights before year’s end.

Reforms to the RBA have been hit a roadblock, after shadow treasurer Angus Taylor on Tuesday said the Coalition could no longer offer bipartisan support.

Mr Taylor said the decision was partly due to Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ “blame-shifting” comments that successive RBA interest rate rises were “smashing” the economy.

“This is not how you conduct a negotiation. Spend 10 days bagging the Reserve Bank, and then introducing legislation into the parliament was completely unacceptable from our point of view,” he said on Tuesday.

Mr Chalmers called a snap press conference to attack the decision and has said he would negotiate with the Greens to get the reform legislation through.

But Greens leader Adam Bandt is demanding Mr Chalmers use his power to force the RBA to bring down interest rates despite inflation being above the bank’s 2-3 per cent range.

The Coalition has also paused its support for aged care reforms after months of negotiations while it reviews the 500-page Bill.

The agriculture sector on Tuesday staged a large protest outside Parliament House to condemn the Albanese government’s policies, including banning live sheep exports – a major issue in the key election battleground of Western Australia.

The mining industry is also stepping up the rhetoric against the government, something Opposition Leader Dutton is jumping on saying the government is “hostile to mining and other critical primary industries” by imposing ideologically driven industrial relations, environment and energy policies.

Meanwhile, universities have reacted badly to the decision to change caps on international students, cutting the numbers significantly for the major universities.

Chair of Universities Australia David Lloyd is addressing the National Press Club on Wednesday, warning the hit to Australia’s economy “won’t be pretty”.

“Using these talented individuals, who have hitched their hopes for personal advancement to an Australian wagon, as cannon fodder in a poll-driven battle over migration just damages our nation’s standing and reputation and our universities with it.”