Why aren't Shorten and the ALP doing better now?

[Qsaint]

I want to see if they can still lay claim to being the party of choice for progressive Australia.

Great this is why the greens are a waste of space

The great compromise is not should be the party of choice for progressive Australia, but to be the party of choice to govern. I posted a link to the article of the left ALP candidate who is standing against Bandt recently , she said basically if you want marriage equality, a degree of carbon pricing etc etc you are only going to get that by voting ALP, not by voting green.

THe ALP has to have a policy platform that will get it elected, it can not do this without compromise. With Albo Pibersek etc like you trying to win back the Greens or the Progressive vote they will not win the election.

 

[Todman]

I want to see if they can still lay claim to being the party of choice for progressive Australia.

Pride?

 

[Todman]

http://billshorten.com.au/category/transcripts

JOURNALIST: Regarding the asylum seeker crisis in the Andaman Sea, should Australia get involved and should we be offering temporary or permanent resettlement?
SHORTEN: Well first of all, the Opposition would like to be briefed by the Government about what’s exactly happening. Secondly, we believe that Australia should always be part of regional solutions but beyond that we’ll have to wait and see the detail which the Government can provide the Opposition.
JOURNALIST: Do you blame Tony Abbott’s turn back the boats policy for what’s happening in South East Asia right now?
SHORTEN: I think some of the inter-communal violence which might be happening in – which is happening in Myanmar, I don’t blame the Government for that. Some of these issues and conflicts far pre-date the existence of the Commonwealth of Australia.
JOURNALIST: But the policy to actually turn the boats around, do you think they are mimicking what Tony Abbott’s policy is in Australia?
SHORTEN: Well again, I think there’s a number of issues and the question you raise. One is, and I think the most important matter is where you have inter-communal violence where some people feel they have to leave their homes because they’re not safe, that’s the source of these troubles, and again we say to the Government, just talk to people, bring Australians into your confidence, you always get a better result.
JOURNALIST: But do you think that the decision to turn around boats in South East Asia is a by-product of Tony Abbott’s policy?
SHORTEN: I think the issue of refugees and inter-communal violence, where the Rohingya people are getting persecuted, that is an issue which well predates the Abbott Government and these are issues which go back centuries.
JOURNALIST: So will Labor then be happy to adopt this policy?
SHORTEN: Well in terms of dealing with the Rohingya conflict and refugees?
JOURNALIST: In regards to turning boats around as I was asking you.
SHORTEN: Well no, we were talking about the inter-communal violence, and we see the deplorable situation and the treatment of Rohingya minorities. Those issues are deep-seated. In terms of Australia’s approach in terms of asylum seekers, we fundamentally believe in a regional approach, we do support regional settlement.
JOURNALIST: So do you support turning boats around?
SHORTEN: Well Labor’s the one who’s put regional settlement on the map in terms of a policy. Our approach is defined by, we want to see refugees treated well, we want to make sure that people aren’t drowning at sea and we also want to make sure that Australia’s immigration policies are respected.

 

[CLUBMEDhurst]

The difference is conservatives know what Tony should stand for whereas progressives don't know what bill stands for.

The same as any shitbag from the Australian Worker's Union. Factional power for power's sake.

 

[crackerjack4X4]

http://pickeringpost.com/story/bill-is-battling-with-his-sex-appeal/4913

But the man is sagging in the polls and is signing his own death warrant. This will be his swan song before he is unceremoniously dumped for the next Labor social vandal to take his place. They have a lot to live up to after the bar-setting Krudd and Gillard era which has left Australia so deeply in the red that most of us will never see black again. Never before has black been such a glorious colour. Sadly these days, it is a colour too far.

So guess what Bill is going to bring back if he gets in next time. Carbon tax! Bloody carbon tax! Can you believe it. I'm not kidding - it's in the paper today. The man is obviously a political genius. And he's going to go 'soft' on the boats too. The people smugglers will be back in business. Brilliant Bill!

Oh, and he wants a superannuation tax and will probably bring on the mining tax as well. And let's not forget his mates at the CFMEU who, along with their brothers and sisters in other unions, will be allowed to run amok. I mean look what they did in six short years when their mates got in last time. The courts are still clogged with their cases of corruption, thuggery, embezzlement and thievery. They are exposed for the rotten, thieving bastards they really are. You can't argue with facts can you? Surely not!

 

[Todman]

http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/

Bolt's view.

"Shorten should have taken on the Left when Labor was ahead in the polls and he still had some authority. He should have changed his party’s suicidal policies then on global warming, boats and spending. But he chose instead to wait as Abbott floundered, hoping to profit from the Liberals’ mistakes rather than his own virtues. Now that Abbott has reformed and recovered it is too late. Shorten has no popularity and little authority left to risk on starting a brawl with Labor’s Left."

 

[ralphmalph]

http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/

Bolt's view.

"Shorten should have taken on the Left when Labor was ahead in the polls and he still had some authority. He should have changed his party’s suicidal policies then on global warming, boats and spending. But he chose instead to wait as Abbott floundered, hoping to profit from the Liberals’ mistakes rather than his own virtues. Now that Abbott has reformed and recovered it is too late. Shorten has no popularity and little authority left to risk on starting a brawl with Labor’s Left."

What are your views or Bolt's views (and really, is there a difference between what Bolt says and what you post?) on Abbott's policies on global warming and spending?

And how has he 'reformed'?

 

[Todman]

What are your views or Bolt's views (and really, is there a difference between what Bolt says and what you post?) on Abbott's policies on global warming and spending?

My View: Shorten is a shallow opportunist whos main interest is Bill Shorten. The unrepresented swill in the senate, by not passing unpopular legislation actually helps keep that Government in power longer.

 

[ralphmalph]

My View: Shorten is a shallow opportunist whos main interest is Bill Shorten. The unrepresented swill in the senate, by not passing unpopular legislation actually helps keep that Government in power longer.

Fascinating stuff. Feel like addressing the question at some stage?

 

[Lester Burnham]

http://billshorten.com.au/category/transcripts

JOURNALIST: Regarding the asylum seeker crisis in the Andaman Sea, should Australia get involved and should we be offering temporary or permanent resettlement?
SHORTEN: Well first of all, the Opposition would like to be briefed by the Government about what’s exactly happening. Secondly, we believe that Australia should always be part of regional solutions but beyond that we’ll have to wait and see the detail which the Government can provide the Opposition.
JOURNALIST: Do you blame Tony Abbott’s turn back the boats policy for what’s happening in South East Asia right now?
SHORTEN: I think some of the inter-communal violence which might be happening in – which is happening in Myanmar, I don’t blame the Government for that. Some of these issues and conflicts far pre-date the existence of the Commonwealth of Australia.
JOURNALIST: But the policy to actually turn the boats around, do you think they are mimicking what Tony Abbott’s policy is in Australia?
SHORTEN: Well again, I think there’s a number of issues and the question you raise. One is, and I think the most important matter is where you have inter-communal violence where some people feel they have to leave their homes because they’re not safe, that’s the source of these troubles, and again we say to the Government, just talk to people, bring Australians into your confidence, you always get a better result.
JOURNALIST: But do you think that the decision to turn around boats in South East Asia is a by-product of Tony Abbott’s policy?
SHORTEN: I think the issue of refugees and inter-communal violence, where the Rohingya people are getting persecuted, that is an issue which well predates the Abbott Government and these are issues which go back centuries.
JOURNALIST: So will Labor then be happy to adopt this policy?
SHORTEN: Well in terms of dealing with the Rohingya conflict and refugees?
JOURNALIST: In regards to turning boats around as I was asking you.
SHORTEN: Well no, we were talking about the inter-communal violence, and we see the deplorable situation and the treatment of Rohingya minorities. Those issues are deep-seated. In terms of Australia’s approach in terms of asylum seekers, we fundamentally believe in a regional approach, we do support regional settlement.
JOURNALIST: So do you support turning boats around?
SHORTEN: Well Labor’s the one who’s put regional settlement on the map in terms of a policy. Our approach is defined by, we want to see refugees treated well, we want to make sure that people aren’t drowning at sea and we also want to make sure that Australia’s immigration policies are respected.

JOURNALIST: What did you have for breakfast, Bill?

SHORTEN: Well first of all, the Opposition would like to be briefed by the Government about what it had for breakfast. Tony Abbott needs to stop treating the Australian people like fools on this matter. But let me restate Labor’s principles. Labor supports working Australians having breakfast, there is no change in that. We believe in fairness on breakfasts and we are absolutely committed to that. What we’re interested in is the future. We’re interested in what works. What Australians want is a plan for the future. We are about articulating a clear plan so our children can have breakfasts. But we’re not going to do is let Tony Abbott reduce everything to dumb it down to three word slogans. Australians want more from their politics than that, so when Tony Abbott just wants to say this or that he’s simply lying about what Labor’s going to. We’ve made it clear what we’re going to do and what we’re not going to do and we’ll continue to roll out our breakfast policies before the next election.

 

[Ratts of Tobruk]

Fun game, can I try?

JOURNALIST: What did you have for breakfast, Tony?

ABBOTT: Well first of all, firstly, the first thing I'd like to say, ah, is, that I enjoy breakfast, like other people, like any other Australians, like good other, ah, working hard Australians from, ah, our fine country. All over Australia. And, ah, that isn't to say that any other meals aren't just as good. Aren't just as good. Just as good. As good as all the meals that are, ah, up for eating in an Australia that is as Australian as any Australia is. Or will be. And that is what we want breakfast to be. And I stand by that. Ah. Mm. Ah. However. However. However. I will not condone the breakfast or the dinner or the, um, lunch or breakfast-lunch or whatever other meal that the death cult, Da'eish, Da'ish, wants to eat. What a death cult wants to eat. Or eats deliberately or otherwise in their death cult behaviour. It's not what I want to eat. Or any Australian wants to eat. Or should eat. And to suggest otherwise, mm, to even suggest or, ah, contemplate otherwise is just foolhardy and not right - not right at all - at all! - to us, to the Government and to, ah, Australians. Mm. And I think we've been clear on that. Very clear.

*Journalist tries to ask follow up*

ABBOTT: And why? Why on earth would the Labor Party, would Bill Shorten, or the Greens for that matter, and the Greens' leader for that matter, why? Why would they be even thinking or suggesting to politicise this matter? It's not right. It's not right to politicise and it's not what we want as Australians or Australians want to read when they are having their breakfast in the morning. Or their BBQ, or their school or surf club fund-raiser or their, um, shopping centre, or, um, BBQ breakfast roll in the morning. It's not right at all. At all. And I don't condone it. Mm. And I might be having breakfast again in the morning. And on several mornings. In the coming weeks and months. And that's a good thing. The right thing.

*Journalist tries to ask follow up, and gets text message from Turnbull saying Abbott hadn't checked on tomorrow's breakfast plans with Cabinet. A PMO release later in the day suggests, contrary to reports, that breakfast plans are not set in concrete, and that the government wants to open a conversation "for all Australians" before releasing a discussion paper on the issue in the near-future.*

 

[medusala]

Clear as mud

JOURNALIST: So do you support turning boats around?
SHORTEN: Well Labor’s the one who’s put regional settlement on the map in terms of a policy. Our approach is defined by, we want to see refugees treated well, we want to make sure that people aren’t drowning at sea and we also want to make sure that Australia’s immigration policies are respected.

 

[The Speaker]

Anyone calling either of the leaders of the major parties a straight talker is kidding themselves.

They are endlessly trained to do anything but.

 

[medusala]

They are endlessly trained to do anything but.

Their advisers must be utterly clueless about how badly it comes across. Its so nauseating when a journo asks a question and pollie refuses to answer and instead wheels out the pre prepared line.

They should show them clips of Boris Johnson to see how its done.

 

[The Speaker]

Their advisers must be utterly clueless about how badly it comes across. Its so nauseating when a journo asks a question and pollie refuses to answer and instead wheels out the pre prepared line.

They should show them clips of Boris Johnson to see how its done.

For as long as they can win elections by saying nothing, they will continue to do it.

 

[medusala]

For as long as they can win elections by saying nothing, they will continue to do it.

Good point. UK election was a classic example. Massive budget deficit no major party came remotely close to disclosing where cuts / taxes were coming from to sort despite repeated attempts by journos to pigeon hole them.

I wonder if Lynton Crosby will help the Libs at the next election?

 

[Underdog]

Anyone calling either of the leaders of the major parties a straight talker is kidding themselves.

They are endlessly trained to do anything but.

Given how much the Australian media jump up and down over the slightest slip of the tongue, I don't blame them.

 

[pazza]

He has won the wedge politics on marriage equality, forcing Abbott and co to roll over and seemingly grant a vote within the next few months. Ouch.

 

[Qsaint]

He has won the wedge politics on marriage equality, forcing Abbott and co to roll over and seemingly grant a vote within the next few months. Ouch.

That was more Ireland and his back bench not spineless bill

 

[Bollox]

He has won the wedge politics on marriage equality, forcing Abbott and co to roll over and seemingly grant a vote within the next few months. Ouch.

He's just made more enemies within, simply because he was thinking about himself.

That issue had the biggest and most obvious tipoff a cpl of weeks ago when Turnbull said he expected it would be sorted by the end of the yr.
Both major parties had an in principle agreement and those that wanted action knew it was 50/50 knife edge count in the lower house as well as marginally against in the upper house. But the trend was there and the media was hearing the numbers apparently moved in the last few weeks.

So what does Showbag do ?....he just couldnt wait could he. So he immediately jumps and goes the big grab hoping for some personal popularity. Even the Greens were holding the line knowing it was at a tipping point but looking good. Democracy working.

The absolute worst result on that issue is jumping too soon and risking it not getting the numbers...would be a huge setback...so Billy sees the numbers tip slightly and he just couldnt wait.

All that did was put on display what everyone knew about him...he couldnt give a rats arse about his party nor the country.

 

[Todman]

http://billshorten.com.au/category/transcripts

JOURNALIST: Mr Shorten has the AWU turned its back on Cesar Melham?
SHORTEN: Labor has a very strong view on having zero tolerance for corruption in the workplace, be it from employers or unions. We have no time for that, I have no time for that. Having said that, we don’t want to run a running commentary on every bit of evidence which comes out of the royal commission.
JOURNALIST: Do you think he’s done anything wrong based on the evidence that has come out of the royal commission? I mean he is resigning from Government Whip.
SHORTEN: It does sound like, in all fairness, a question to make a running commentary on the royal commission, so again I’d refer you to the answers I’ve given since the start of the royal commission. But again, just to underline the seriousness which Labor takes all of the matters to do with integrity, we believe fundamentally that there is no time in Australia’s workplaces or anywhere else for corruption, whether it’s employer inspired or if there’s union representatives involved. There should be no tolerance for it.
JOURNALIST: Are you disappointed in his behaviour?
SHORTEN: He’s stood aside from his position, there’s nothing more I can add to the matter, thanks.
JOURNALIST: If he is found, I guess, to be guilty of what the royal commission has exposed, should he be standing down from parliament?
SHORTEN: Well you started the question with a hypothetical, again you are inviting me very politely to make a running commentary on the royal commission. I won’t do that. But I will reiterate again, Labor has no time for breaches of this sort of integrity of corruption that some people are say is going on in the workplace. So we are very clear, be it employer or union representative, Labor has zero tolerance for that.
JOURNALIST: We’re not talking about the royal commission, we’re talking about the behaviour of an individual person who you were quite close to. Surely you have got some opinion on his actual behaviour?
SHORTEN: Well in all fairness its evidence coming out of the royal commission. I’m not going to make a running commentary, he’s stood aside from his position as government whip. Again, Labor has no time, no time whatsoever for corruption of any sort be it in business or in the union movement or anywhere else.
JOURNALIST: Did you know about these allegations during your time at the AWU?
SHORTEN: Again you’re asking me to make a running commentary. As for my own record, I stand by my service towards making workplaces productive, standing up for workers’ rights and that’s all I’ve ever been committed to and indeed that is the role of the Labor Party now, to stand up for the rights of Australians. That’s why we’re here speaking on Family Tax Benefit payments because we do not believe that the Abbott Government’s cuts to working families are justified or a good idea for the future of families or Australia.
JOURNALIST: Mr Shorten the question was did you know?
SHORTEN: We’ll first of all you have asked me to make a running commentary –
JOURNALIST: No, no, the question was did you know, that’s was the question, not a running commentary on the royal commission, did you know about his individual behaviour, that was the question?
SHORTEN: As I said yesterday and as I’ve said in the past and as I say again today, I will stand by my record of what I’ve done standing up for the rights of working people over 14 years in the union movement, full stop.

 

[Maggie5]

http://billshorten.com.au/category/transcripts

JOURNALIST: Mr Shorten has the AWU turned its back on Cesar Melham?
SHORTEN: Labor has a very strong view on having zero tolerance for corruption in the workplace, be it from employers or unions. We have no time for that, I have no time for that. Having said that, we don’t want to run a running commentary on every bit of evidence which comes out of the royal commission.
JOURNALIST: Do you think he’s done anything wrong based on the evidence that has come out of the royal commission? I mean he is resigning from Government Whip.
SHORTEN: It does sound like, in all fairness, a question to make a running commentary on the royal commission, so again I’d refer you to the answers I’ve given since the start of the royal commission. But again, just to underline the seriousness which Labor takes all of the matters to do with integrity, we believe fundamentally that there is no time in Australia’s workplaces or anywhere else for corruption, whether it’s employer inspired or if there’s union representatives involved. There should be no tolerance for it.
JOURNALIST: Are you disappointed in his behaviour?
SHORTEN: He’s stood aside from his position, there’s nothing more I can add to the matter, thanks.
JOURNALIST: If he is found, I guess, to be guilty of what the royal commission has exposed, should he be standing down from parliament?
SHORTEN: Well you started the question with a hypothetical, again you are inviting me very politely to make a running commentary on the royal commission. I won’t do that. But I will reiterate again, Labor has no time for breaches of this sort of integrity of corruption that some people are say is going on in the workplace. So we are very clear, be it employer or union representative, Labor has zero tolerance for that.
JOURNALIST: We’re not talking about the royal commission, we’re talking about the behaviour of an individual person who you were quite close to. Surely you have got some opinion on his actual behaviour?
SHORTEN: Well in all fairness its evidence coming out of the royal commission. I’m not going to make a running commentary, he’s stood aside from his position as government whip. Again, Labor has no time, no time whatsoever for corruption of any sort be it in business or in the union movement or anywhere else.
JOURNALIST: Did you know about these allegations during your time at the AWU?
SHORTEN: Again you’re asking me to make a running commentary. As for my own record, I stand by my service towards making workplaces productive, standing up for workers’ rights and that’s all I’ve ever been committed to and indeed that is the role of the Labor Party now, to stand up for the rights of Australians. That’s why we’re here speaking on Family Tax Benefit payments because we do not believe that the Abbott Government’s cuts to working families are justified or a good idea for the future of families or Australia.
JOURNALIST: Mr Shorten the question was did you know?
SHORTEN: We’ll first of all you have asked me to make a running commentary –
JOURNALIST: No, no, the question was did you know, that’s was the question, not a running commentary on the royal commission, did you know about his individual behaviour, that was the question?
SHORTEN: As I said yesterday and as I’ve said in the past and as I say again today, I will stand by my record of what I’ve done standing up for the rights of working people over 14 years in the union movement, full stop.

I think it is great that they put the full transcript on his own site.
But I can see the point you are making, Shorten is getting muddier all the time. If ALP win the next election it will by default, which is normally the case sadly.

 

[Todman]

I can see the point you are making, Shorten is getting muddier all the time. If ALP win the next election it will by default, which is normally the case sadly.

Not inspiring is he?

 

[Ice-Wolf]

Not inspiring is he?

So? neither is Abbott or anyone on the Liberal front or backbench.

 

[Maggie5]

Not inspiring is he?

Sadly that is the case of leadership in both major parties.
We have a government based on broken promises, pandering to red necks, have no idea on how to fix to the economy as they are beholden to their donors and interest groups (IPA) and a leader of the opposition that mumbles his way through press conferences and yet to define what the ALP stand for...