One Nation is copping heat for a proposal that would let Australians take some of the money going into their super as extra pay instead.

For up to three years, renters and mortgage holders could choose to take home a quarter of the money that would normally be put into their retirement – worth about $44 a week for someone on the average full-time wage.

At the same time, the Coalition has been looking at its own ways to give people greater access to their super now – and some of its MPs want to go further.

So why is superannuation suddenly being pitched as an answer to Australia’s cost-of-living and housing problems? And is it a good idea?

Today, economist Greg Jericho, on the growing political fight over what our super should actually be for.

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