Bill Shorten pledges not to call Malcolm Turnbull names for political gain
Oh dear.
Bill Shorten has blasted Malcolm Turnbull for his “hysterical rant” against him, as he attempts to reset the political debate by pledging to take the high road and not call the Prime Minister names this week and “throughout the rest of the year”.
Conceding he did not always stick to the standard he sought to apply, the Opposition Leader declared the government was “on notice” and Labor would not “take the low road” and use personal insults for political gain.
Bill Shorten.
It follows the Prime Minister placing his government on an aggressive new course during the first parliamentary sitting week of the year, tearing down Mr Shorten and rallying drifting voters to the Coalition by casting the Labor leader as a “simpering sycophant” who was betraying the workers he claimed to defend.
For months Mr Shorten has referred to Mr Turnbull — who lives in one of Australia’s most expensive suburbs — as Mr Harbourside Mansion but today said voters were “sick and tired” of the leaders’ “petty schoolyard arguments” and squabbling over issues “that has nothing to do with them”.
“The message is loud and clear to me since I left parliament (on Thursday) and people here today were reiterating it: Bill we want the politicians, you and Turnbull, to focus upon our issues, the issues of the people,” Mr Shorten said after meeting pensioners in Melbourne.
“What I pledge to do this week and throughout the rest of the year is not give into the bait, not give into the easy schoolyard constant bickering which turns people off politics. People want to see us do better.”
Mr Shorten also blamed the name calling for turning voters off mainstream parties and said that was why he did not respond to Mr Turnbull’s speech, which has buoyed government ministers and backbenchers alike.
“I didn’t expect so quickly to have that opportunity to have my resolve tested as it was last week. But I’m pleased we didn’t take the bait,” he said.
