Don't Read! Super Musing #1

Okie doke, I'm writing an essay and am at that point where I'm about to get stuck into it. I am, I swear.

This isn't procrastination, it's just I need to write without thinking or stressing or citing or stopping myself. I need to do this or I will probably not get the essay done. In fact, I should have been blogging this whole time. It would have made this a lot easier. As things are, I've been doing a reasonable amount of reading this Semester to prepare for this 5, 000 word essay, but not much writing. Which has become a problem now, as I go to write about something I'm not completely unfamiliar with, but which does not flow naturally.

Ok, it's about super reform. Yep, there we go, lost 95% of the audience. If you're still reading then...ok. You may read on.

OR MAY YOU??!

Yes, you may.

Specifically, it's an essay that's not evaluating the various policies and aspects of superannuation that are being debated in Australian politics today. No. That would be a job for an economic student or something like that. I'm a communication student, so naturally my essay question is:

"What are the ways in which superannuation reform is being made about superannuation policy in Australia, by whom, how and to what end? And how do these arguments fit within economic debate in contemporary Australian politics?"

Whoo!

So, my plan runs thusly:

1. Let's define some kind of 'language of super': this is all about establishing the historical origins of superannuation debate. To a large extent it's about outlining the history of superannuation. It began as a policy only offered to wealthy businessmen by financial institutions. From there, the unions decided it should be something every worker in Australia can access: something to retire on so it's not straight onto the age pension once they retire. A series of battles marked by bi-partisan moments, an unusual kind of capitalist ideology driven welfare system, not-for-profit union funds, consumer choice/neolib free market conflicts with govt regulation and preference towards union funds, and more. To assist in this:
  - A Super History (great read, I'll lend it to you if you're keen)
- CanStar
- A series of uni readings on neo-liberalism etc.

I was thinking of kicking off this thrilling start to the essay with two contrasting quotes that I think capture quite neatly the two major bodies of thought on superannuation. Each one represents a part of its history, and each argument reponds to the other (bring in good old Leith and Myerson to make their point about rhetoric responding to arguments implicitly etc.).

Then going into some of that history, just enough so that the significance and history behind each side has been filled out to give full comprehension. Then, with startling speed, the reader will be plunged into the next part of the essay...estimated words spent thus far? Will probably need to be around 2, 000 which is ok!

Sites of argument/struggle today:

This will look at the issues that are being argued and fought today. They revolve around similar if not identical themes as they did during its formation (after all, only 30 years old or so). Principal among these is 'My Super', which funds are listed as default and which aren't, co-contribution/tax concessions/taxing of superannuant input (i.e. the policies that are put in place to incentivise additional super contributions or prevent tax evasion strategies at the opposite end of the pay scale), gender (links to previous, due to the fact that women's super suffers when they leave workforce to have children). These are the main fights, and they revolve around the same ideas: rational economic actors, govt support for financially illiterate population), etc.

THEN

Will look at how the super industry (in particular industry super funds vs retail super funds) have communicated themselves and communicated super to their superannuants. This includes the rise in neo-liberal attempts to financially educate people so they can make their own choices about super funds, investment options (high risk vs low risk vs clean energy etc.). This also includes educating people so that they can run their own super funds. This is something pitched at wealthier Australians, and there is a certain way that financial media attempts to form them into tax-savvy savers that can find the ways to end up with buckets of golden piggy bank super etc.

Possibly there will be a brief historical aside into the image of the piggy bank in popular culture and why it accompanies so much of the coverage and discussion of superanuation and retirement income.

But yeah. 

Ok that was useful I guess, thanks blog! I'd better get stuck into it. I guess starting at the start is a good idea.