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| Bill Shorten announces candidacy for Labor leadership | Bill Shorten announces candidacy for Labor leadership |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Victorian MP Bill Shorten has declared he can rebuild and re-energise Labor after its resounding election defeat and that he will contest a “civilised” ballot for the Labor leadership if former deputy prime minister Anthony Albanese also seeks the job. | Victorian MP Bill Shorten has declared he can rebuild and re-energise Labor after its resounding election defeat and that he will contest a “civilised” ballot for the Labor leadership if former deputy prime minister Anthony Albanese also seeks the job. |
| Albanese himself has made no comment about his intentions, but supporters are cautiously confident he will stand, and as Shorten announced his candidacy he appeared to assume new rules would be triggered that require a ballot of party members as well as the parliamentary caucus if more than one MP contests the leadership. | Albanese himself has made no comment about his intentions, but supporters are cautiously confident he will stand, and as Shorten announced his candidacy he appeared to assume new rules would be triggered that require a ballot of party members as well as the parliamentary caucus if more than one MP contests the leadership. |
| Albanese will announce his decision to his caucus colleagues on Friday. | |
| Shorten insisted he was “hungry for victory”, confirmed that popular left-wing MP Tanya Plibersek would probably be his deputy and said he was running because he believed “Labor can win the battle of ideas and put our party back into serious contention for the next election.” | Shorten insisted he was “hungry for victory”, confirmed that popular left-wing MP Tanya Plibersek would probably be his deputy and said he was running because he believed “Labor can win the battle of ideas and put our party back into serious contention for the next election.” |
| Some Labor MPs have said Labor should accept Tony Abbott’s mandate to repeal the carbon tax, but Shorten said Labor could not walk away from its central beliefs and policy achievements, including the carbon pricing scheme. | Some Labor MPs have said Labor should accept Tony Abbott’s mandate to repeal the carbon tax, but Shorten said Labor could not walk away from its central beliefs and policy achievements, including the carbon pricing scheme. |
| The Coalition has already begun its attack on Shorten – that he is a “double-dealer”, one of the so-called “faceless men” who knifed Kevin Rudd for Julia Gillard and then eventually changed their minds and got rid of her in favour of Rudd again. | The Coalition has already begun its attack on Shorten – that he is a “double-dealer”, one of the so-called “faceless men” who knifed Kevin Rudd for Julia Gillard and then eventually changed their minds and got rid of her in favour of Rudd again. |
| Asked about his role in the upheavals of the Rudd/Gillard years, Shorten said, “It is very clear that I, along with all members of the caucus, should accept some responsibility for the past few years.” | Asked about his role in the upheavals of the Rudd/Gillard years, Shorten said, “It is very clear that I, along with all members of the caucus, should accept some responsibility for the past few years.” |
| He praised both recent former Labor prime ministers. | He praised both recent former Labor prime ministers. |
| “I am grateful for the work Julia Gillard did in a minority parliament … and I am grateful for Kevin Rudd’s efforts,” he said, adding that Rudd’s return had ensured more Labor MPs had been re-elected than otherwise would have been the case. | “I am grateful for the work Julia Gillard did in a minority parliament … and I am grateful for Kevin Rudd’s efforts,” he said, adding that Rudd’s return had ensured more Labor MPs had been re-elected than otherwise would have been the case. |
| Several senior Labor figures have called for Rudd to resign as the member for Griffith, in the interests of party harmony, but Shorten said, “What Kevin Rudd does … is entirely up to him.” | Several senior Labor figures have called for Rudd to resign as the member for Griffith, in the interests of party harmony, but Shorten said, “What Kevin Rudd does … is entirely up to him.” |
| Some in the Labor party, including Shorten’s factional ally, former communications minister Senator Stephen Conroy, have said the new rules allowing the grassroots of the Labor party a 50% say in the leadership decision will make the party a “laughing stock”. | Some in the Labor party, including Shorten’s factional ally, former communications minister Senator Stephen Conroy, have said the new rules allowing the grassroots of the Labor party a 50% say in the leadership decision will make the party a “laughing stock”. |
| But Shorten said he “welcomed” rank and file participation and that it was a “game-changer” that would create momentum for Labor’s revitalisation. | But Shorten said he “welcomed” rank and file participation and that it was a “game-changer” that would create momentum for Labor’s revitalisation. |
| He said he had significant support, but if he lost he would “fully respect the decision” and that it was important the party “ruled a line” under past divisions. | He said he had significant support, but if he lost he would “fully respect the decision” and that it was important the party “ruled a line” under past divisions. |
| He praised Albanese, with whom he had had “constructive conversations” in recent days. | He praised Albanese, with whom he had had “constructive conversations” in recent days. |
| “If Anthony Albanese stands, let me be very clear, he is an outstanding parliamentarian with much experience – if the Labor party were to choose him it would be very well served … I would certainly work with him and accept the verdict of the members.” | “If Anthony Albanese stands, let me be very clear, he is an outstanding parliamentarian with much experience – if the Labor party were to choose him it would be very well served … I would certainly work with him and accept the verdict of the members.” |
| Under the new rules, if the ballot is contested, nominations must be opened for a period of seven days, after which a grassroots ballot is taken over two weeks, and then a caucus vote is taken without the caucus knowing the result of the ballot of the party membership. The process would take between three weeks and 30 days. | Under the new rules, if the ballot is contested, nominations must be opened for a period of seven days, after which a grassroots ballot is taken over two weeks, and then a caucus vote is taken without the caucus knowing the result of the ballot of the party membership. The process would take between three weeks and 30 days. |
| Shorten is believed to have majority support in the parliamentary party, but Albanese’s left-wing faction traditionally dominates grassroots ballots. | Shorten is believed to have majority support in the parliamentary party, but Albanese’s left-wing faction traditionally dominates grassroots ballots. |
| Albanese is expected to announce his intention before the depleted Labor caucus meets for the first time after its defeat in Canberra on Friday. | Albanese is expected to announce his intention before the depleted Labor caucus meets for the first time after its defeat in Canberra on Friday. |
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