Why and how Verve is advocating for change

Currently, women in Australia are retiring with 23% less super than men. Most Australian women retire dependent on their partner or the old age pension*.

Women alone can’t solve this problem. 

It’s not enough for individual women to be able to succeed in our current unfair system. Instead we need fairer workplace policies, carer policies and superannuation policies to close the life-long wealth gap that women experience to ensure that all Australians can retire in comfort. 

As a superannuation fund that is focused on supporting thousands of Australian women to build their retirement savings, we believe we have an important role in advocating for a fairer retirement future.

Verve’s advocacy is informed by the experiences of our members – our members have the lived expertise to know the issues facing women and we work with other women’s organisations in our community to amplify each other’s voices.

Our policy and advocacy is informed by the following principles:

Our role as a superannuation fund is first and foremostly to help build the superannuation balances of our members.

We value the lived experience of our members and incorporate the voice of our members into our research and advocacy.

We strive for greater economic equality for all people, with a specific focus on women, young women and girls in all their diversity.

We use an intersectional feminist analysis – we know that the women most impacted by wealth inequality are often: women of colour, First Nations women, women living with a disability, the young and the elderly. We also understand that inequality impacts LGBTIQ+ Australians in unique was as well.  Statistics based on averages often just don’t tell the full story. 

We collaborate with others to create change.

We are an independent, non-partisan voice.

*ABS Gender Indicators, 2020