William Richard Shorten (born 12 May 1967) is an Australian politician and former trade unionist serving as the current Minister for Government Services and Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme since 2022. Previously, Shorten was leader of the opposition and leader of the Labor Party (ALP) from 2013 to 2019. A member of parliament (MP) for the division of Maribyrnong since 2007, Shorten also held several ministerial portfolios in the Gillard and Rudd governments from 2010 to 2013.

Bill Shorten
Shorten in 2021
Minister for Government Services
Assumed office
1 June 2022
Prime MinisterAnthony Albanese
Preceded byLinda Reynolds
Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme
Assumed office
1 June 2022
Prime MinisterAnthony Albanese
Preceded byLinda Reynolds
20th Leader of the Labor Party
In office
13 October 2013 – 30 May 2019
DeputyTanya Plibersek
Preceded byKevin Rudd
Succeeded byAnthony Albanese
Leader of the Opposition
In office
13 October 2013 – 30 May 2019
Prime Minister
DeputyTanya Plibersek
Preceded byChris Bowen (Interim)
Succeeded byAnthony Albanese
Minister 2010–⁠2013
Minister for Workplace Relations
In office
14 December 2011 – 18 September 2013
Prime Minister
Preceded byChris Evans
Succeeded byEric Abetz (as Minister for Employment)
Minister for Education
In office
1 July 2013 – 18 September 2013
Prime MinisterKevin Rudd
Preceded byPeter Garrett
Succeeded byChristopher Pyne
Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation
In office
14 September 2010 – 1 July 2013
Prime Minister
  • Julia Gillard
  • Kevin Rudd
Preceded byChris Bowen
Succeeded byDavid Bradbury
Minister for Employment
In office
14 December 2011 – 1 July 2013
Prime Minister
Preceded byChris Evans
Succeeded byBrendan O'Connor
Assistant Treasurer of Australia
In office
14 September 2010 – 14 December 2011
Prime MinisterJulia Gillard
Preceded byNick Sherry
Succeeded byMark Arbib
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Maribyrnong
Assumed office
24 November 2007
Preceded byBob Sercombe
Personal details
Born (1967-05-12) 12 May 1967 (age 57)
Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia
Political partyLabor
Spouses
Debbie Beale
(m. 2000; div. 2008)
(m. 2009)
Children1
Relatives
Education
OccupationPolitician
ProfessionTrade unionist
Signature
Websitewww.billshorten.com.au
Military service
Allegiance Australia
Branch/serviceAustralian Army Reserve
Years of service1985–1986

Born in Melbourne, Shorten studied law at Monash University. He worked in politics and in law before becoming an organiser with the Australian Workers' Union (AWU) in 1994. He was elected state secretary of the Victorian Branch of the AWU in 1998 before becoming AWU national secretary in 2001. In this role, Shorten played a prominent role as a negotiator following the Beaconsfield Mine collapse in 2006, which first brought him to national prominence.

Shorten was elected to the House of Representatives at the 2007 federal election, winning the seat of Maribyrnong, before being immediately appointed a Parliamentary Secretary. Following the 2010 election, he was promoted to the cabinet, serving first as Assistant Treasurer, then as Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation and Minister for Workplace Relations in Julia Gillard's government. After Kevin Rudd replaced Gillard as prime minister in June 2013, Shorten was briefly Minister for Education until the Labor Party's defeat at the 2013 election.

After Rudd retired from politics, Shorten won a leadership election in October 2013 against Anthony Albanese, and became leader of the Labor Party. He led Labor to a narrow loss at the 2016 election and then led Labor to an unexpected defeat at the 2019 election, after which he announced his resignation as leader, with Albanese being elected unopposed to replace him.[1][2] Following Labor's victory at the 2022 election, Shorten was appointed as the Minister for Government Services and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Shorten is a senior figure within the Labor Right.[3] He is considered a moderate member of the Labor Party.[4][5] As with recent Labor leaders, Shorten supports an Australian republic.[6]

In September 2024 Shorten announced his pending retirement from politics to become the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Canberra from February 2025.[7]

Early life

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Birth and family background

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Shorten was born on 12 May 1967 at St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, the son of Ann Rosemary (née McGrath) and William Robert Shorten.[8][9] He has a twin brother, Robert. According to a statement given during the 2017–18 dual citizenship scandal, Shorten held British citizenship by descent until 2006, when he renounced it in order to run for parliament.[10][11]

Shorten's mother was a university academic and lawyer who completed a doctorate at Monash University and ended her career there as a senior lecturer in education. She completed a law degree later in life and practised as a barrister for six years.[12] She was originally from Ballarat, descended from "a long line of Irish Australians" who arrived during the Victorian gold rush.[13] Shorten's father was a marine engineer born in Tyneside, England. After settling in Australia he worked as a manager at the Duke and Orr Dry Docks on Melbourne's Yarra River, where he was frequently in contact with union leaders.[14] Shorten's parents divorced in 1988 and his father remarried a few years later. He subsequently became estranged from his father, who died in 2000.[15]

Childhood

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Shorten grew up in Melbourne's south-east, living in Hughesdale.[note 1] He attended St Mary's Catholic Primary School in Malvern East.[19] He and his brother were offered scholarships to De La Salle College, but their mother instead chose to send them to Xavier College, Kew. They began attending Kostka Hall, the college's junior campus, in 1977. Shorten was chosen for the state debating team in 1984, his final year at the school.[20] He excelled at fencing and was the state under-15 champion in the sabre division.[21]

University

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In 1985, Shorten began studying at Monash University,[22] graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 1989 and a Bachelor of Laws in 1992.[23] He was active in student politics, both in the university's ALP Club and in Young Labor. He helped establish Network, a Labor Right-aligned faction of Young Labor; in 1986 it "took control of Young Labor from the Left for the first time".[24] Shorten briefly worked in a butcher's shop during his first years at university,[25] and was also a member of the Australian Army Reserve from 1985 to 1986, holding the rank of private.[26] He volunteered in Senator Gareth Evans' office,[25] and then after the 1988 Victorian state election was employed as a youth affairs adviser to Neil Pope, a Victorian government minister. He took a gap year in 1990, travelling overseas for the first time and backpacking through Central Europe. He was subsequently involved in Network's abortive attempt to take over the state branch of the Australian Theatrical and Amusement Employees' Association.[27][28]

Labour movement

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After graduating, Shorten worked for twenty months as a lawyer for Maurice Blackburn Cashman.[29] In 1994, he began his union career as a trainee organiser under the ACTU's Organising Works program at the Australian Workers' Union (AWU), before being elected Victorian state secretary in 1998.[30] His time as secretary was marked by a reform of the union's structures.

Shorten was elected as the AWU's national secretary in 2001 and was re-elected in 2005. He resigned as Victorian state secretary of the AWU in August 2007. He was an active member of the Labor Party and was a member of the party's national executive until 2011, as well as the administrative committee of the Victorian branch. He was also director of the Superannuation Trust of Australia (now Australian Super) and the Victorian Funds Management Corporation. From December 2005 until May 2008 he was the Victorian state president of the Labor Party. He was also a member of the Australian Council of Trade Unions executive.[31] Until early 2006, he was a board member of GetUp.org.au.[32]

During his time as AWU national secretary, Shorten was the interim chief executive of the Australian Netball Players Association (ANPA), following an alliance between the AWU and ANPA in 2005.[33] Shorten also served on the advisory board of the Australian Cricketers' Association.[34]

Political career

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Entry into politics

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Shorten speaking at an anti-WorkChoices rally in 2006

Prior to the 1996 federal election, aged 28, Shorten contested Labor preselection for the Division of Maribyrnong. He was defeated by Bob Sercombe, who went on to retain the seat for Labor at the election.[35] In February 1998, Shorten won preselection for the safe Labor seat of Melton at the 1999 state election. He was not a resident of the electorate, located on the rural–urban fringe to Melbourne's north-west. He subsequently resigned as a candidate in order to become state secretary of the AWU.[36]

In 2005, Shorten announced that he would again seek preselection for the Division of Maribyrnong, challenging Bob Sercombe (the sitting member and a member of the Beazley shadow ministry). Justifying his challenge to an incumbent Labor MP, Shorten said, "...we haven't won a federal election since 1993. When your footy team loses four consecutive grand finals, you renew the team."[37]

On 28 February 2006, Sercombe announced that he was withdrawing his candidacy for re-selection, a few days before the vote of local members in which Shorten was expected to poll very strongly. As a result, Shorten was selected unopposed to contest the seat.[38] Later in 2006, during the Beaconsfield Mine collapse, Shorten, as National Secretary of the AWU, played a role as a negotiator and commentator on developments in the immediate aftermath and the ensuing rescue operations. The mine rescue operations drew mass national media coverage, and raised Shorten's political profile ahead of the 2007 election.[39][40]

First Rudd government

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Shorten in August 2010.

At the 2007 federal election, Shorten was elected to the House of Representatives as the Labor MP for Maribyrnong. It was speculated that with his high public profile and general popularity within the Labor Party, he might immediately be given a front-bench portfolio; however, when asked about the possibility, new Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said that he believed parliamentary experience was essential when designating front-bench portfolios. Instead, Rudd announced that Shorten would become Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children's Services.[41] As Parliamentary Secretary, Shorten pushed hard for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, something which was later to become a key policy of the Labor government.[42]

Leadership spills

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Shorten would later become one of the main factional leaders involved in the replacement of Kevin Rudd as Prime Minister and Leader of the Labor Party with Julia Gillard in the 2010 leadership challenge.[43]

Following the 2010 federal election, there was speculation that Shorten might seek to oust Prime Minister Julia Gillard from her position within the year; former Labor Prime Minister Bob Hawke and former Labor Opposition Leader Kim Beazley had both previously endorsed Shorten as a potential future Labor Leader.[44] Shorten denied this speculation, and was promoted to the Cabinet as Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation.[45] In 2011, he was also given the position of Minister for Workplace Relations.[46][47]

Following a period of persistent leadership tensions, Shorten announced immediately before a June 2013 leadership ballot took place that he would back Rudd against Gillard, and would resign from the Cabinet should she win.[48] Rudd subsequently won the ballot and became Prime Minister for a second time, appointing Shorten as Minister for Education, with particular responsibility for implementing the Gonski school funding reforms.[49]

Election as leader

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Following the defeat of the Labor government at the 2013 federal election, Kevin Rudd announced that he would stand down as Leader of the Labor Party. Shorten subsequently announced his candidacy to be his successor, in a contest with Anthony Albanese that would be the first time party members would be eligible to vote.[50][51] Shorten subsequently gained 63.9% of the party caucus vote and 40.8% of the rank-and-file members' vote, which when weighted equally gave Shorten a 52.02% victory over Albanese.[52][53]

Leader of the Opposition

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Shorten (right) meeting with United States Secretary of State John Kerry, in 2014

First term as leader

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His first speech acknowledged the role of women in his election success. He distanced himself from Tony Abbott's social conservatism, saying "I reject the assumption that merit is more located in the brains of men than women" and highlighting the proportion of women in Labor's leadership, with Tanya Plibersek as Deputy Leader and Penny Wong as Senate Opposition Leader.[54][55]

Shorten had been consistently polling better than Abbott and Labor better than the Abbott Coalition government from the July 2014 Australian federal budget until the September 2015 Liberal leadership ballot when Malcolm Turnbull succeeded Abbott as Prime Minister. Turnbull's honeymoon polling soared above Shorten with the Turnbull Coalition government taking the lead over Labor. Brendan Nelson holds the record for lowest Newspoll "Better Prime Minister" rating of 7% (29 February-2 March 2008). Three leaders including Shorten hold the combined second-lowest rating of 14% – Simon Crean (28–30 November 2003), Malcolm Turnbull (27–29 November 2009) and Shorten (4–6 December 2015). The December 2015 Newspoll saw a continued 53-47 two-party vote to the government, however Turnbull's personal ratings were significantly lessened, with personal approval down eight to 52% and personal disapproval up eight to 30%.[56] Some media outlets opined Turnbull's honeymoon to be over.[57][58][59]

In early 2015, leading up to Australia Day, Shorten called for a new push for Australia to become a republic.[60] Former ARM chair Malcolm Turnbull said upon his appointment as Prime Minister in September of the same year he would not pursue "his dream" of Australia becoming a republic until after the end of the Queen's reign, instead focusing his efforts toward the economy.[61] In July 2017, Shorten revealed that should the Labor Party be elected to government at the 2019 federal election, they would legislate for a compulsory plebiscite on the issue. Should that plebiscite be supported by a majority of Australians, a referendum would be held, asking the public for their support for a specific model of government.[62]

 
Shorten in Parliament in 2016

In 2015, Shorten said that the voting age should be lowered to 16.[63] In February 2016, Shorten called Cory Bernardi a "homophobe".[64] In March 2016, Shorten committed that the party would oppose any effort to extend discrimination law exemptions to allow people who object to same-sex marriage to deny goods and services to same-sex couples.[65]

2016 federal election

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In 2016, Shorten led Labor to gain 14 seats at the federal election when Malcolm Turnbull and the Liberal-National Coalition retained majority government by a single seat.[66] The result was the closest since the 1961 federal election.

2019 federal election

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Shorten led Labor into the Australian federal election in 2019. Labor had led most polls for the better part of two years, and every major opinion poll projected a Labor victory.[67][68][69]

However, a number of factors, including third-party preferences in Queensland, allowed the Coalition–then led by Scott Morrison–to a surprise election victory, and regain its parliamentary majority.[70][71] Shorten conceded defeat on election night and subsequently announced he would step down as the leader of the Labor Party.[1] In a post-election review commissioned by the Labor Party in November 2019, the loss was partially attributed to Shorten's personal unpopularity.[72] A separate study by the Australian National University found Shorten to be the least popular Labor leader since modern polling began, with his popularity representing "a historic low for any major party leader in recent times".[73]

Post-leadership

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Shorten announced his resignation as Leader of the Labor Party on 18 May 2019, following Labor's defeat in the 2019 election.[74][75] Anthony Albanese succeeded him as leader on 30 May, with Richard Marles as his deputy.[76]

 
Shorten (front row, centre) attending a Commonwealth meeting in June 2022

After Albanese assumed the leadership, Shorten was appointed as part of the shadow cabinet, as shadow minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and for Government Services.[77]

Albanese government

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Following Labor's victory at the 2022 federal election,[78] Shorten was sworn in as the Minister for the NDIS and Government Services on 1 June.[79][80]

On 5 September 2024, Shorten announced his retirement from politics at the 2025 federal election.[7] On that date, Shorten also announced his appointment as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Canberra, commencing in February 2025.[81]

Personal life

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Bill and Chloe Shorten in March 2019

In March 2000, Shorten married Debbie Beale, daughter of businessman and former Liberal MP Julian Beale.[82] They divorced in 2008.[83] In 2009, Shorten married Chloe Bryce, daughter of then Governor-General Quentin Bryce.[84][85][86]

The Shortens live in Moonee Ponds, Victoria with their daughter,[87] as well as Chloe Shorten's other two children from her previous marriage to Brisbane architect Roger Parkin, who shares their parental responsibility.[88]

Shorten was raised Catholic, but converted to Anglicanism before his second marriage – as well as it being his wife's religion, he "had come to disagree with the [Catholic] Church on a number of issues".[89][90]

Allegation of rape

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In 2014, Shorten publicly identified himself as the senior ALP figure at the centre of a 2013 allegation of rape, said to have occurred in 1986. Shorten strongly denied the allegations in a statement, which was made after Victoria Police were advised from the Office of Public Prosecutions that there was no reasonable prospect of conviction.[91] When in 2021, Liberal cabinet minister Christian Porter was the subject of a similar allegation, commentators (and even Porter himself) drew attention to the very different media treatment Porter received, although there were differences in the cases.[92]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Sources agree that Shorten's childhood home was located on Neerim Road, but differ as to whether it was in Murrumbeena or Hughesdale.[16][17] Shorten's own book clarified this as Hughesdale.[18]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Election 2019: Scott Morrison says 'I have always believed in miracles' as Coalition retains power". ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). 19 May 2019. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  2. ^ Worthington, Brett; Norman, Jane; Gothe-Snape, Jackson (19 May 2019). "Election 2019: Anthony Albanese to run for Labor leader, Tanya Plibersek 'considering' a tilt". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  3. ^ "Labor's new-look shadow ministry". SBS News. Special Broadcasting Service. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  4. ^ Kernell, G. (2014). "The 2013 parliamentary election in Australia". Electoral Studies. 34: 357–361. doi:10.1016/j.electstud.2013.12.002.
  5. ^ Tucker, J. (26 September 2013). "Australia's 2013 election: A divided left and a step to the right". The Washington Post.
  6. ^ "Bill Shorten in Ballarat | Q&A | ABC TV". Abc.net.au. 21 September 2015. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
  7. ^ a b Truu, Maani (5 September 2024). "Former Labor leader Bill Shorten to announce retirement from politics". ABC News. Archived from the original on 5 September 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  8. ^ Rule, Andrew (26 September 2009). "The son also rises". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  9. ^ Wright, Jessica (15 April 2014). "Bill Shorten farewells mother, Ann, at private funeral in Melbourne". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  10. ^ Brown, Greg (21 August 2017). "Bill Shorten's British citizenship: displays classic hypocrisy, Angus Taylor says". The Australian. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  11. ^ Doran, Matthew; McGhee, Ashlynne (21 August 2017). "Labor refuse to release citizenship documents for MPs facing questions". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
  12. ^ "Obituary: Dr Ann Rosemary Shorten". Victorian Bar. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  13. ^ Marr 2015, pp. 8–9.
  14. ^ Marr 2015, p. 8.
  15. ^ Cadzow, Jane (1 December 2014). "Eyes on the prize: would-be PM Bill Shorten". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  16. ^ "They lived nearby, in the unprosperous streets of Murrumbeena [...] Kew was a long haul – a tram and two trains – from Neerim Road, Murrumbeena". Marr (2015), pp. 8–9.
  17. ^ "They grew up in a California bungalow (since demolished) on a busy corner on Neerim Road in Hughesdale". Rule (2009).
  18. ^ An extract from “For the Common Good”| 1 – Growing Up, Bill Shorten. Melbourne University Publishing
  19. ^ Shorten 2016, p. 1.
  20. ^ Marr 2015, p. 9.
  21. ^ Di Stefano, Mark (23 June 2016). "Bill Shorten "Was Very Skilled With The Blade", Says Former Fencing Mentor". Buzzfeed News. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  22. ^ van Tiggelen, John (July 2012). "Watch This Face: Bill Shorten". The Monthly.
  23. ^ "Alumni achievements" (PDF). Law Matters: News From the Monash Law School Community. No. 2. 2006. p. 2.
  24. ^ Marr 2015, p. 10–13.
  25. ^ a b Marr 2015, p. 12.
  26. ^ Biography for SHORTEN, the Hon. William (Bill) Richard, Parliament of Australia; retrieved 7 March 2018.
  27. ^ Marr 2015, p. 13.
  28. ^ Millar, Royce; Schneiders, Ben (19 June 2014). "Bill Shorten the shape-shifter". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  29. ^ Cavill, Amanda. "Leader profile: Bill Shorten". SBS. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  30. ^ Costa, Michael; Lloyd Ross Forum (1997). Reforming Australia's unions: insights from Southland magazine. Sydney: Federation Press. p. 75. ISBN 978-1-86287-248-6. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
  31. ^ "Hon Bill Shorten MP". Senators and Members of the Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  32. ^ "Getup Annual Report 2005-06, p. 16" (PDF). Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  33. ^ Netballers join union for a better shot at fair pay, Sydney Morning Herald.
  34. ^ The Hon Bill Shorten MP Archived 26 April 2009 at the Wayback Machine, Q&A profile, ABC. Retrieved 26 September 2009.
  35. ^ Marr 2015, p. 19.
  36. ^ Marr 2015, p. 20.
  37. ^ Schubert, Misha (4 February 2006). "I'm in: Shorten declares on safe seat". Age. Fairfax. Retrieved 4 December 2007.
  38. ^ "Shorten wins preselection battle: Lateline". Abc.net.au. 28 February 2006. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  39. ^ Doherty, Ben (4 May 2006). "Shorten plays more than mere union man". Age. Fairfax.
  40. ^ Coorey, Phillip (6 May 2006). "Voice of the miners is just the union ticket". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
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  42. ^ Van Tiggeen, John, The Monthly, July 2012.
  43. ^ "I urged Gillard to challenge Rudd: Bill Shorten". Sydney Morning Herald. AAP. 29 June 2010. Retrieved 28 June 2010.
  44. ^ Goodsir, Darren (23 August 2010). "Bill Shorten to lead Labor Party?". 3AW blog. Archived from the original on 24 August 2010. Retrieved 24 August 2010.
  45. ^ Simons, Margaret (12 November 2005). "Fitting the Bill". The Age. Retrieved 24 August 2010.
  46. ^ Hewett, Jennifer (18 September 2010). "Players assemble on the front line". News Limited. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
  47. ^ "Gillard unveils expanded Cabinet". ABC News. Australia. 18 December 2011. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  48. ^ Murphy, Katharine (26 June 2013). "Labor leadership spill: Julia Gillard v Kevin Rudd – as it happened". The Guardian. UK. Retrieved 14 July 2013.
  49. ^ Ireland, Judith (26 June 2013). "Rudd returns as Labor leader, Gillard quits politics". The Age. Australia. Retrieved 14 July 2013.
  50. ^ Cullen, Simon (13 September 2013). "Anthony Albanese to run for Labor leadership against Bill Shorten". ABC News. Australia. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  51. ^ Maher, Sid; Perpitch, Nicolas (13 September 2013). "Bill Shorten stands and vows to maintain the carbon rage". The Australian. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  52. ^ Harrison, Dan. "Bill Shorten elected Labor leader". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  53. ^ Griffiths, Emma (13 October 2013). "Bill Shorten elected Labor leader over Anthony Albanese after month-long campaign". ABC News. Australia. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  54. ^ Taylor, Lenore (14 October 2013). "Tanya Plibersek elected to be Bill Shorten's deputy". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  55. ^ Nicholson, Brendan (14 October 2013). "Star of the Left Tanya Plibersek helped Bill Shorten win". The Australian. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  56. ^ William Bowe (7 December 2015). "Newspoll: 53-47 to Coalition – The Poll Bludger". Blogs.crikey.com.au. Archived from the original on 20 December 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  57. ^ Speers, David (3 December 2015). "The honeymoon is over". Switzer.com.au. Archived from the original on 24 March 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  58. ^ "Honeymoon over for Malcolm Turnbull". Herald Sun. 6 December 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  59. ^ "Is the Turnbull honeymoon over?". Courier Mail. 7 December 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  60. ^ "Opposition Leader Bill Shorten renews call for republic ahead of Australia Day". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 25 January 2015. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  61. ^ Dunlevy, Sue (21 September 2015). "Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's new cabinet to be sworn in today". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  62. ^ Massola, James (28 July 2017). "Bill Shorten vows to hold vote on republic during first term of a Labor government". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  63. ^ ABC News, 31 October 2015, Bill Shorten calls for voting age to be lowered to 16
  64. ^ Hunter, Fergus (24 February 2016). "'At least I'm not a homophobe': Bill Shorten in tense press conference exchange with Cory Bernardi". smh.com.au. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  65. ^ Karp, Paul (31 March 2016). "Shorten: Labor won't change discrimination laws to please same-sex marriage opponents". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
  66. ^ "'It's vital this parliament works': Turnbull claims election win". ABC News. 10 July 2016.
  67. ^ Benson, Simon (17 May 2019). "Election 2019: Election-eve Newspoll sees Labor widen lead". The Australian. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  68. ^ Pearson, Nick (18 May 2019). "Exclusive exit poll: Labor set to win government". 9 News. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
  69. ^ Crowe, David (16 May 2019). "Ipsos poll shows election contest tightens to 51-49". The Age. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  70. ^ "Election 2019: Coalition secures 77 seats as Liberals win Wentworth, Chisholm, Boothby and Bass". ABC News. 20 May 2019.
  71. ^ Allyson Horn (19 May 2019). "Election 2019: Why Queensland turned its back on Labor and helped Scott Morrison to victory". ABC News.
  72. ^ Craig Emerson & Jay Wetherall (6 November 2019). "Review of Labor's 2019 Federal Election Campaign" (PDF). Australian Labor Party. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 December 2019. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
  73. ^ Lawson, Kirsten (8 December 2019). "Bill Shorten most unpopular Labor leader in more than 30 years". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  74. ^ "Labor's Shorten concedes Australia election". BBC News. 18 May 2019. Retrieved 18 May 2019. [verification needed]
  75. ^ Sweeney, Lucy; Belot, Henry; Marsh, Peter; Bilton, Dean (17 May 2019). "Live: Shorten concedes defeat, says he will step down as Labor leader". ABC News. Retrieved 18 May 2019. [verification needed]
  76. ^ "Anthony Albanese to become Labor's new leader unopposed following shock federal election loss". ABC. 27 May 2019.
  77. ^ "Current Shadow Ministry List". Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  78. ^ Turnbull, Tiffanie (22 May 2022). "Australia election: Anthony Albanese leads Labor to Australian election victory". BBC News. Sydney. Archived from the original on 5 September 2024. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  79. ^ Jose, Renju (1 June 2022). Pullin, Richard (ed.). "Australia PM Albanese appoints record number of women to diverse cabinet". Reuters. Sydney. Archived from the original on 2 June 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  80. ^ Hitch, Georgia; Evans, Jake (1 June 2022). "Who's in the new Labor government cabinet? Who got what role on the frontbench?". ABC News. NDIS Minister. Archived from the original on 5 September 2024. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  81. ^ Wind, Emily (5 September 2024). "Australia news live: Shorten announces retirement and quotes Sinatra, saying 'regrets, I've had a few ... I did it my way'". The Guardian. Bill Shorten to be vice-chancellor of University of Canberra. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 5 September 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024. From February next year, he will be vice-chancellor of the University of Canberra.
  82. ^ David Marr (21 September 2015). Quarterly Essay 59: Faction Man: Bill Shorten's Path to Power. Black Inc. pp. 24–. ISBN 978-1-86395-753-3. He met Deborah Beale in his MBA class at Melbourne University. ... A few weeks before their wedding in March 2000, she persuaded Shorten to reconcile with ...
  83. ^ James Kirby; Rod Myer (19 January 2011). Richard Pratt: One Out of the Box: The Secrets of an Australian Billionaire. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 135–. ISBN 978-0-7303-7612-5. One such friendship was with Labor MP Bill Shorten, former AustralianWorkers Union chief and ... Even when Bill and Debbie divorced in 2008 and Shorten ...
  84. ^ Carbone, Suzanne (11 December 2009). "Shorten fits the Bill as referee for his ex-wife". Age. Fairfax. Retrieved 28 June 2010.
  85. ^ "Bill Shorten to wed Chloe Bryce, Governor-General's daughter". Daily Telegraph. News Limited. 14 November 2009. Archived from the original on 30 January 2010. Retrieved 28 June 2010.
  86. ^ Milne, Glenn (18 July 2009). "Bill Shorten and Chloe Bryce G-G's girl expecting a child". Daily Telegraph. News Limited. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
  87. ^ "Baby Clementine wows Labor MP Bill Shorten and wife Chloe Bryce". Herald Sun. News Limited. 24 December 2009. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
  88. ^ "Bill Shorten in love with Quentin Bryce's daughter". Courier Mail. News Limited. 21 September 2008. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
  89. ^ The religious lives of Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten, ABC Radio National, 16 June 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  90. ^ What kind of Christian is Bill Shorten?, Bible Society Australia, 28 June 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  91. ^ Grattan, Michelle. (24 August 2014). "Shorten outs himself as Labor figure in rape investigation", The Conversation. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
  92. ^ What a difference a decade makes to reporting claims against powerful men, Chip Le Grand, Sydney Morning Herald, March 6 2021

Further reading

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edit
Trade union offices
Preceded by National Secretary of the Australian Workers' Union
2001–2007
Succeeded by
Parliament of Australia
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for Maribyrnong

2007–present
Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded byas Minister for Financial Services, Superannuation and Corporate Law Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation
2010–2013
Succeeded byas Minister Assisting for Financial Services and Superannuation
Preceded by Assistant Treasurer
2010–2011
Succeeded by
Preceded byas Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations Minister for Workplace Relations
2011–2013
Vacant
Title next held by
Kelly O'Dwyer
as Minister for Jobs and Industrial Relations
Minister for Employment
2011–2013
Succeeded by
Preceded byas Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth Minister for Education
2013
Succeeded by
Preceded by Leader of the Opposition
2013–2019
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Government Services
2022–present
Incumbent
Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme
2022–present
Party political offices
Preceded by Leader of the Labor Party
2013–2019
Succeeded by