Townsville Bulletin

Super rise will hit wages: Treasurer

- TOM MINEAR

ANYONE who denies that lifting the rate of compulsory superannua­tion contributi­ons comes at the expense of pay rises is effectivel­y a “flat-earther”, according to Josh Frydenberg.

As the government considers whether the legislated increase to 10 per cent should go ahead on July 1, the Treasurer said it was

“not rocket science” that lifting the guarantee involved a “tradeoff” with wages. Mr Frydenberg maintained the government had to “carefully consider the implicatio­ns of the legislated increase” as the economy recovered from the coronaviru­s crisis.

In a major speech on retirement income policy, he also backed the need for more flexible access to super nest eggs, after the success of the early release scheme during the pandemic.

Mr Frydenberg said accommodat­ing the changing circumstan­ces of workers would increase their ownership of and engagement with their superannua­tion savings.

“Providing Australian­s with more flexibilit­y should not be seen as an attempt to undermine the system overall. Far from it,” he said.

LOS ANGELES: Lady Gaga has offered a reward of $US500,000 for the safe return of two of her dogs, after her dog walker was shot and two of her three beloved French bulldogs were stolen.

Los Angeles police said a man had taken the dogs and driven away and that another man in his 30s was shot and hospitalis­ed.

Celebrity website TMZ reported the music star had offered the large reward for the return of the two dogs, named Koji and Gustav, “with no questions asked”.

A third dog, Asia, was recovered by police at the scene of the attack, and reportedly later collected by another

member of the singer’s staff. French bulldogs are a coveted and expensive pedigree breed that can sell for thousands of dollars. It was not clear if Lady Gaga’s pets were deliberate­ly targeted. The star – real name Stefani Germanotta – is reportedly in Rome for the shooting of Ridley Scott’s Gucci, in which she plays the Italian fashion icon’s ex-wife, who was convicted of orchestrat­ing his assassinat­ion.

Lady Gaga’s dog walker, Ryan Fischer, 30, was ambushed close to his West Hollywood home and reportedly shot in the chest four times.

Disturbing footage has emerged of the shocking incident, which was captured by home surveillan­ce cameras and later obtained by TMZ.

Mr Fischer “is thankfully recovering well”, a source has reportedly told TMZ.

 ??  ?? Josh h Frydenberg.
Josh h Frydenberg.
 ??  ?? Lady Gaga with Koji.
Lady Gaga with Koji.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Australia