The government is unwilling to increase the tax on superannuation for fear it could depress household consumption, says Treasurer Joe Hockey.
Mr Hockey said many superannuants had accrued substantial amounts under old laws but this was no longer possible because of changes made by the past coalition and Labor governments.
"We are reluctant to touch superannuation because at the moment superannuants are getting very low returns," he told Sky News.
"If you impose new taxes on those people it simply reduces their ability to spend.
"If you talk about economic growth, more than half of economic growth comes from household consumption. We do not want to do anything to depress household consumption."
A report by the Committee for Economic Development of Australia, released on Tuesday, calls for a change to superannuation arrangements so contributions can only come from after-tax income. Other tax concessions would be scrapped.
Mr Hockey said he and Prime Minister Tony Abbott had tried to keep open as many options as possible in discussions with the states on tax reform.
He said he was not ruling anything in or out on the GST.
"We have been discussing that and other measures with the states. Those discussions are continuing," he said.
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