Up to $50,000 may be withdrawn so, based on a purchase price of $1 million, that's a five per cent deposit, a relatively low deposit. However, at 40 per cent of an individual's super. That's a large amount to be withdrawn from what is usually invested in a diversified super portfolio, to be "invested" in a single asset, within a single asset class.

From 2014 to 2021, the Coalition government left the superannuation guarantee rate stuck on 9.5 per cent, so employees' retirement account savings are already less than they should have been under regular increases bringing the rate to 12 per cent.

Sunday's announcement is not genuine assistance for first home buyers in the long term, it's a desperate confidence trick on the part of Mr Morrison.

Scott Morrison's latest insult for Anthony Albanese is calling him a "loose unit" but after Morrison's last desperate thought bubble over accessing superannuation early it's clear who the loose unit is. This policy has been widely condemned as a fundamentally stupid idea which will actually increase house prices.

The LNP has been trying to destroy compulsory superannuation for a decade, especially industry superannuation which they loathe because it consistently outperforms the private superannuation funds owned by their business "mates".

Letting people access superannuation early will simply mean thousands more will have to rely on the old age pension, costing future governments billions.

Singapore implemented a similar policy decades ago and many regretted accessing their superannuation early.

Some investors own multiple investment properties and use negative gearing to minimise tax. Labor wanted to "grandfather" negative gearing in 2019 which would have lowered prices but this was misrepresented in the scare campaign over Labor introducing death duties. Many investors have made huge profits over the last few years.

Compulsory superannuation is one of the greatest initiatives ever introduced in Australia. It gives millions of Australians the opportunity to retire with dignity. Bit by bit the LNP has been doing their best to destroy it. We should do whatever it takes to protect it.

We need to introduce policies to help people buy their first home. But letting people raid their superannuation accounts isn't the answer. Many took out thousands during the pandemic. What next, accessing superannuation to buy a car?

Regarding the country's ever-worsening levels of housing affordability and amenity, the ACT government in particular, definitely needs to get back to favouring green-field development over "densification".

We don't have a "sprawl" problem and the Territory Plan includes plenty of suitable government-owned environmentally sustainable raw land (including over the Murrumbidgee in the south). Many other jurisdictions can take that approach by similarly encouraging decentralisation of employment centres and so on.

Governments need to take on the "market", say, by setting their new land plot prices at the publicly ascertainable cost to produce, plus say, 10 per cent, on a block-by-block basis; increasing and maintaining supply; selling new plots, one each, to deed-bonded, bona fide owner-occupiers only; and encouraging small "starter" homes. The resultant "correction" may be painful in the short term (even for government coffers), but is way overdue for the health of the economy.

New block sizes should be increased, without increasing the footprint of new estates, say via more well-addressed "battle axe" blocks; and utilising steeper land there, while preserving soil profiles and natural vegetation. Plot ratios (floor space: land area) should be reduced. Subdivision physical complexity needs simplification.

Existing back yards should be preserved - this doesn't preclude dual occupancies, with basement car parking enabling more on-site open space.

Government should, of course, phase out negative gearing, and reduced capital gains tax. Standards in housing safety, amenity, solar-access, and urban design must be improved.

This latest stunt by Morrison is an obscenity and a deliberate voter decoy. You've got to have significant superannuation savings and job stability to even consider using your super to fund a house. This is sure to drive prices up.

Efficient, working models abound. Take for example, Scandinavia, Germany and Scotland. There, affordable housing is integrated throughout the community, within the building plans and situated in accessible locations.

Doesn't anybody in Canberra have any vision?

If an incoming Labor government negotiates "in the usual way" then non-SES public servants shouldn't get their hopes up too much. It was the last Labor government that introduced a permanent real wage freeze ("Albanese declines to promise higher public service pay", May 16 p.6).

At the end of the pre-GFC boom, we could only have a rise to cover inflation - and then only if we could pay for it with productivity improvements - because everyone else was getting big pay rises, risking inflation.

Then real increases had to wait until the budget was back in surplus (I'm still holding my breath). Gough Whitlam, on the other hand increased public service wages because it was the best lever he had to prompt an increase the wages share of national income.

Asked about the mistakes the Prime Minister nominated the Health Department's bungling of the vaccine rollout: "Now, in hindsight, bringing in Lieutenant-General Frewen was something I would have done earlier, because when I put him in charge, we fixed the problem and we ended up ensuring the highest vaccination rates in the world".

It is refreshing to see the PM confirm what has been obvious to so many thinking Australians for a very long time. The ADF has the logistical and planning skills, the experience and toughness to make a much more significant contribution to our nation's governance.

If the Morrison government is re-elected it should heed the lessons of the last nine years and replace all Commonwealth agency heads with military personnel. The heads of PMC, Treasury and DFAT should be required to have had operational experience in the SAS, a unit that knows how to get any job done without qualms or hesitation.

The widespread loss of respect for the rule of law, and the prevalence of woke "kangaroo court" judges suggests that the High Court and Federal Court require stronger representation of ADF members with practical decision-making skills derived from operational exposure in conflict zones.

Given the high levels of community trust in the integrity of the ADF, a policy shift to a more khaki bureaucracy would have the additional advantage of neutralising unreasonable demands for ministerial responsibility and a national ICAC.

This government wisely appointed a highly decorated soldier as governor-general, but we desperately need a strong khaki presence right through the nation's bureaucracy and judiciary to strengthen key national institutions, national security and underpin our democratic values and freedoms.

The cat has been belled on Morrison's attempt to win votes by allowing superannuants to access more of their savings through downsizing. It has been warmly welcomed by the Real Estate Institute who clearly see greater commissions resulting from increased . Likely increased housing costs have been confirmed by leading economists, including the Grattan Institute. Also, none other than Morrison's Superannuation Minister let slip there could be increases.

Finally, it's an old idea, suggested and rejected before with then PM Malcolm Turnbull calling it, "The craziest idea I've heard".

One question though? Does this desperation represent the old or the new Scotty from marketing?

If we end up with a hung parliament the PM should run dead on any negotiations. It's unlikely a Labor, Greens, teal marriage of convenience will last a full term. If what happened to the independents who put Gillard into office in 2010 is any indication the teals will be one hit wonders.

Brilliant. Asking couples over 55 to downsize their homes and invest money into super. Where are they going to go? At 55 they won't go into nursing homes or retirement villages. They will want a smaller, cheaper home, putting more pressure on first home buyers. Talk about policy on the run, or is it smoke and mirrors.

The Liberals' policy, to encourage people to downsize their homes to increase access to housing, has a major flaw. Those downsizing have to buy something smaller to live in. Those smaller, cheaper properties are what first home buyers usually buy. There will be increased demand and price pressure in the lower end of the housing market.

Ex-PM Gillard is appealing to Canberrans to support Katy Gallagher to keep her Senate seat. Who the hell is Katy Gallagher? We haven't heard boo from her since the three amigos went into hiding a few months ago.

I am joining former prime minister Julia Gillard to support Katy Gallagher. Katy had been one of our brightest stars in the last Parliament. What she said, she meant. What she meant, she said. Australia needs her presence in the new Parliament.

My response to Julia Gillard's question "Can I really risk losing someone like Katy from the Senate?" is "Yes, when I can vote for an independent like Kim Rubenstein".

Two little voices, overheard from the back seat of the car on Sunday: "Are we there yet?" "Nearly. Six more sleeps".

National Volunteer Week (May 16-22) is calling. Just one example is doing weeding and maintenance work with various local groups such as Friends of Black Mountain or Friends of Aranda Bushland, a monthly contribution opportunity for nature-minded, reasonably able-bodied people. See you there?

A 5.1 per cent rise in the basic wage amounts to an extra $1 an hour. I'd hardly call this extravagant.

While people rightly query the accuracy of election polls the rising hum of paper shredders warming up could be seen as a safe indicator that a change of government is imminent.

At a time when 25 per cent of Canberrans have experienced COVID Thursday's editorial about people not getting their booster shots was spot on. As a septuagenarian who has just had his fourth COVID shot and the influenza injection, and who wears a mask when appropriate, your editorial was the reminder we need given many of us will be lining up close together to vote soon.