The former prime minister’s comments come after a number of Liberal backbenchers voiced concern against such an increase, and saw Mr Keating compare them to “climate change deniers” and “anti-vaxxers.”

Despite the concerns around wage growth, Mr Keating has defended an increase to the employer contribution from 9.5 per cent to 12 per cent for all Australians.

“This is the great lie and boggy analysis,” the former PM said of the wage growth issues effect on super.

He rejected MP claims that argued a rise in superannuation guarantee payments would see a loss in wage increases.

“Alternatively, if you don’t take the 2.5 per cent, you’ll pick up 2.5 per cent in wages. But it’s demonstrably false because nobody since 2014 has had an increase in super, yet wages have not increased at all,” continued Mr Keating.

Mr Keating said instead that workers can choose between something and nothing, with compulsory superannuation enabling a rise in overall income.

The former prime minister also condemned research by the Grattan Institute, which is claiming that a raise in the superannuation requirements would see middle-income Australians going backwards due to lowering of pension rates.

The Grattan Institutions research “showed that higher compulsory super wouldn’t be in the interests of many working Australians”.

“It would mean middle-income workers giving up wages of up to 2.5 per cent while working, in exchange for less than 1 per cent boost to their retirement incomes,” it stated.

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