The election saw superannuation placed front and centre as former PM Scott Morrison said that first home buyers would be able to invest up to $50,000, or 40 per cent, of their superannuation balance in their own home if his government is re-elected.

The super discussion continued post-election when NSW senator Andrew Bragg declared that the Liberal party should push to "liberate Australians from superannuation".

He argued that super is a "significant failure of Australian economic policy" and he called for a pause to the super guarantee increases, and wants people to be able to take super as wages.

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Super guarantees are legislated to lift from 0.5 per cent every year until it hits 12 per cent in 2026.

"Super isn't working. It costs too much and Australians get too little in return," he told the Daily Advertiser.

Catherine Chalker, financial planner at ASB financial services, said that to pause the super guarantee could work for young people if the savings would be passed on by employers in wages, but she thinks that would be unlikely to happen. And as for allowing Aussies to access super early, she's also unconvinced.

"Do I think you should be able to readily access it, no. Do I mind the idea that you can access a certain amount of it, if you could that would help some people," she said.

She suggests that a better option for young people who are trying to save for a house would be to use the First Home Super Saver Scheme.

Mrs Chalker said that many of her clients worry about not being able to get the aged pension, and many are confused about how much super they'll need to retire.

But despite all of the chatter, superannuation is still incredibly relevant to Australian life, she said. "It's a good way of forcing savings for people to have some extra money in retirement, " she said.

For people nearing retirement, like Tony Smith, super has guaranteed a comfortable post-working life.

"I'm glad we had it, it sets you up for good values throughout your life. Saving a little bit of money all the way through," he said.

Mr Smith, 57, and his wife Leanne have diligently saved over the years and the pair hope to retire within the next five years. They're aiming for over 1 million dollars in super to be able to retire comfortably. But he thinks that retirees should be able to access the pension on top of their super. "I still think super is a good thing. But I think the taxpayers of Australia who have made this country are getting a little shortchanged at the end of it."

Mr Smith said that super should stay mandatory and admits that without it, he wouldn't be in the good position he is now.

"It needs to stay mandatory for sure, to be able to [access] your super [early], it needs to be an extreme circumstance," she said.

While Mrs Chalker doesn't agree with Messrs Morrison and Bragg, she said they may have got many people to take notice of their super, and ultimately, she believes that's a good thing.

"What it might have done is forced younger people to look at their super ... you often see people in mid-to-late 20s who just don't look at their super fund," she said.

"Governments of all persuasions over the years have made [super] way too complicated, I hope this government doesn't make any changes, just let it settle a little while."

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