Bill Shorten - how long?

[Lester Burnham]

His approval rating is at record low

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nat...-low-28-per-cent/story-fnc6vkbc-1227399413962

He has the personality of a house brick and his interviews are a disaster.

His attack on the government over alleged payments to people smugglers was a complete embarrassment.

Retreats in politics are seldom more comprehensive, or unedifying, than Bill Shorten's turn-back on Labor's pursuit of the Abbott government and its apparent willingness to pay people smugglers to return asylum seekers to Indonesia.

On Monday, this was such a burning issue Shorten and his colleagues pursued it with all the rigour of a Queen's counsel interrogating a villain in court before attempting to censure the Prime Minister.

Not only did Bill Shorten fail to pursue the matter in Parliament,he was all at sea when he addressed the media to "draw a line in the sand" on the government's pension changes.

Why? Because, after demanding that the government give a one-word answer either confirming or denying the payments, he declined to do the same when asked if Labor in power had made payments to people smugglers.​

http://www.theage.com.au/federal-po...ves-bill-shorten-exposed-20150616-ghpg1n.html

But the most damaging claim is that as AWU boss Shorten oversaw deals that saw companies pay the AWU for deals that cut conditions for the workers he represented.

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/b...ds-from-building-company-20150617-ghq5si.html

 

[RUNVS]

I think it is a little weird to be speculating about the size of his penis.

 

[romeohwho]

He polled well in the Fairfax poll on the weekend and the political commentator I watched, said Shorten was doing better at this point in time when most opposition leaders were unpopular around this time in a cycle.

 

[AM]

Longer than Tony.

 

[Lester Burnham]

Fairfax running with the story

One of Australia's biggest builders paid Bill Shorten's union nearly $300,000 after he struck a workplace deal that cut conditions and saved the company as much as $100 million on a major Melbourne road project.

A Fairfax Media investigation has uncovered large payments from joint venture builder Thiess John Holland to the Australian Workers Union when Mr Shorten, now opposition leader, ran the union.​

 

[clogged]

I thought you were going to quit this forum, Lester?

 

[Kirks]

Shorten is 1000x worse than Abbott.

 

[WA ROO]

Fairfax running with the story

One of Australia's biggest builders paid Bill Shorten's union nearly $300,000 after he struck a workplace deal that cut conditions and saved the company as much as $100 million on a major Melbourne road project.

A Fairfax Media investigation has uncovered large payments from joint venture builder Thiess John Holland to the Australian Workers Union when Mr Shorten, now opposition leader, ran the union.​

$300K for $100mil
Shorten crooked but cheap

 

[CM86]

Far out, is this actual investigative journalism? I thought it had died out moons ago.

Uncover all of it. If Shorten benefited financially personally by removing workers rights, he should be chucked out of Parliament.

But from what I've read, they aren't really sure what he was in charge of at the time, or if he was connected other than being part of the same union.
Nor is it saying if it's what the workers wanted.

But, if Shorten took money under the table, for removing workers rights then he is a corrupt piece of s**t.

 

[Gough]

The Libs have worked out their record in government's not gonna win them a second term, back to the Labor rips the head off kittens policy, aided, and abetted by a pliant media. It's easy to stare earnestly at a camera claiming someone must answer questions, while completely failing to offer any transperancy regarding your own actions.

 

[Lester Burnham]

Far out, is this actual investigative journalism? I thought it had died out moons ago.

Uncover all of it. If Shorten benefited financially personally by removing workers rights, he should be chucked out of Parliament.

But from what I've read, they aren't really sure what he was in charge of at the time, or if he was connected other than being part of the same union.
Nor is it saying if it's what the workers wanted.

But, if Shorten took money under the table, for removing workers rights then he is a corrupt piece of s**t.

I doubt he would have personally benefited financially. But if the $300,000 from Thiess John Holland, $200,000 from Visy industries, $100,000 from Alcoa, and $300,000 from Huntsman etc bought AWU memberships it would have given him a political benefit. It would have boosted the AWU's power and that of its leaders within the ALP, controlling pre-selections for example.

Shorten needs to answer these questions ASAP not wait until he appears before the royal commission in August. And specifically, not just his usual waffle.

 

[noddy]

It's all about building your personal power base, the more members behind you the more chance of climbing up the ladder, doubt very much that Bill Shorten would have done anything illegal though.

 

[Bollox]

As long as unions that are desperately trying to maintain relevance still control the ALP, you will get the party leader that you are given.

Shorten just had the most horrific opposition leader week since Turnbull in 09. Difference being that it is virtually impossible to remove Shorten which in so many ways only makes things worse at this stage of a term.

Everything was poorly conceived, chronically executed and hypocritical at best...with his party seemingly hesitant to follow anyone else over the top into no mans land. Some attempted bravado....but Burke only managed to paint him as hypocritical and appear a sacrificial lamb for simply having a crack.

The nation laughs at him as a bunch of other ego's try to selfishly secure their own little moment in history via a tv show...confirming the backstabbing reputation that most already thought.

Then the AWU skeletons start falling out of the closet rendering him impotent for months...his party starts wavering on an issue of dual national citizenship that the country happens to be overwhelmingly in favour of...adds insult to injury by trying a political stunt to oppose what seem to most like perfectly reasonable pension cuts and increases to less well off. On the same day it backfires totally and they get immediately hurled to the shitter by the greens, who tend to oppose everything carte blanche but even they can see merit in the changes that the ALP oppose. So then the ALP try to throw little pebbles at the Greens as well.

To top it off we sit back and watch them make fools of themselves trying to hypocritically attack on a people smuggling issue that the country isnt much bothered by.

Growth figures came out very well...and a revision down plus another better than expected employment number coming out last week didnt help their cause much either....not that they could have anyway due to having zero economic credibility as well.

Just when you thought it was a few days from hell, the Guvment very publicly signs a long awaited Free Trade Agreeement with China that the ALP failed to achieve...then waves it in their face.

Not good no.

 

[pazza]

I doubt he would have personally benefited financially. But if the $300,000 from Thiess John Holland, $200,000 from Visy industries, $100,000 from Alcoa, and $300,000 from Huntsman etc bought AWU memberships it would have given him a political benefit. It would have boosted the AWU's power and that of its leaders within the ALP, controlling pre-selections for example.

Shorten needs to answer these questions ASAP not wait until he appears before the royal commission in August. And specifically, not just his usual waffle.

He already answered those questions in the Cole Royal Commission so the answers are out in the public domain.

 

[Lester Burnham]

He was not very convincing at the Cole Royal Commission pazza. Lot's of 'I am not sure', 'not to my knowledge' and 'I guess'. The current royal commission has heard evidence that contradicts Shorten's account back then. The AWU signed up the entire membership of the Australian Netball Players Association without their knowledge, in order to boost membership numbers so that they would get more votes inside the ALP for preselections.

 

[Qsaint]

Far out, is this actual investigative journalism? I thought it had died out moons ago.

Uncover all of it. If Shorten benefited financially personally by removing workers rights, he should be chucked out of Parliament.

But from what I've read, they aren't really sure what he was in charge of at the time, or if he was connected other than being part of the same union.
Nor is it saying if it's what the workers wanted.

But, if Shorten took money under the table, for removing workers rights then he is a corrupt piece of s**t.

But it's ok if the union didn't honestly and ethically represent its members hey?

And if you lead an organisation that misrepresents the interests of it stakeholder you are only held responsible if it's not a union, right?

Dodgy Bill got caught but most unions are run for the interests of those employed by it not the workers, they don't know any better

 

[Gough]

Remember how Gillard was definitely going to jail over the AWU allegations?

 

[RUNVS]

Am I right in saying that no PM in the past has tried to get his opponents arrested as much as Abbott has?

 

[Bollox]

It's all about building your personal power base, the more members behind you the more chance of climbing up the ladder, doubt very much that Bill Shorten would have done anything illegal though.

Who woulda thunk that an ALP leader could hide a $3M bribe for 4 yrs ?...from a bloke who turns up dead after threatening to screw with the unions. Just a little titbit from around my neck of the woods.
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2013/s3864094.htm

This sort of stuff just keeps on adding up in peoples minds.

I'm prepared to give Showbag the benefit of the doubt though. I doubt he's done anything wrong...dont care if that sounds naive.

 

[Todman]

I want Bill there as long as posible because he is not electable. I'm beginning to think the attacks are come from his own side now. The Government won't go for the kill as Bill's replacement will be more popular.

 

[Gough]

With a four point lead in some opinion polls, and a government that opens it's mouth only to change feet, why would the ALP risk internal divisions being publicly aired? You'd like to think they have learnt something from their time in government.

 

[The Punter]

Bill Shorten will be there for as long as he wants. Its almost impossible to get rid of him against his own will.

Thanks Kevin.

 

[RUNVS]

Bill Shorten will be there for as long as he wants. Its almost impossible to get rid of him against his own will.

Thanks Kevin.

It does provide stability though. It means there has been almost no leadership speculation which is a good thing for the ALP in general.

 

[madmug]

Shorten is 1000x worse than Abbott.

Well that adds a lot to the conversation.

As far as I'm concerned he can answer to these things in the RC.

Generally speaking our party political system is broken when we allow such questionable characters as Rabbot & Shorten to be the PM & possible PM.

Then add the biased old slug Bishop as the speaker & so I say, 'Houston, we have a problem'

Party's are shyte & run by power hungry animals. Party first, country second is the way they operate.

Cheer squaders just make sycophantic idiots of themselves.

 

[romeohwho]

Can't see anything that condemns Bill at this point-all just deals etc to make things better for his members. Unless, in the unlikely event, he has down something illegal, or has diddled his comrades, nothing to see here. The public doesn't seem to be fussed.
Even if stuff emerges, who cares. Plibersek will be great.