Labor needs to convincingly discredit the 2017 budget to the point that the government cannot use it to help restore its standing in the eyes of voters.
Bill Shorten runs past Old Parliament House in Canberra.
Mick Tsikas/AAP
Bill Shorten has said Labor will oppose the budget’s increase in the Medicare levy hitting taxpayers on incomes under A$87,000.
The Hawke Labor government had a strong incentive to seek a new approach to industrial relations when it came to office.
National Archives of Australia
The Prices and Incomes Accord was a series of agreements between Labor and the ACTU where unions would moderate their wage demands in exchange for improvements in the ‘social wage’.
A Shorten government would double the screening fees on foreign investment and financial penalties that apply to foreign investment in residential real estate.
Lukas Coch/AAP
On some days it’s best not to venture out. For Malcolm Turnbull, Monday was such a day. There was no way a visit to Bottles of Australia in the Canberra suburb of Hume was going to end well. Turnbull was…
Indonesia President Joko Widodo speaks as Malcolm Turnbull looks on during a media conference in the gardens of Kirribilli House on Sunday.
David Moir/AAP
A disastrous Newspoll showing the Coalition trailing Labor 45-55%, One Nation gaining ground and Malcolm Turnbull’s ratings falling will fuel the alarm and anger in the Coalition.
In an ironic twist, Bill Shorten when employment minister paved the way for the Fair Work Commission decision.
Mick Tsikas/AAP
The latest reflection on just how appalling things are in federal politics came this week from former Treasury head Ken Henry.
ACTU president Ged Kearney called on Malcolm Turnbull ‘to stand up for workers in this country, to actually change the laws to protect people’s pay’.
Alex Murray/AAP
Hospitality, fast food, retail and pharmacy workers stand to lose thousands of dollars per year after the Fair Work Commission’s landmark decision to cut penalty rates on Sundays and public holidays.
Bill Shorten will say that without confidence in the policy environment, investors would never put up the billions of dollars required for energy projects.
Mick Tsikas/AAP
Eighteen groups have issued a plea for political leaders to ‘stop partisan antics’ and work together to achieve energy reform.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Labor leader Bill Shorten addressed the National Press Club on February 1 and January 31 respectively.
AAP Image/Mick Tsikas
In twin speeches to the National Press Club, Labor leader Bill Shorten said bulk-billing rates are falling, while Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said bulk-billing is at record levels. Who was right?
At the election, Malcolm Turnbull resisted running a tough negative campaign focusing on Bill Shorten.
Mick Tsikas/AAP
After Malcolm Turnbull called Bill Shorten a “social-climbing sycophant”, a “parasite”, and a “hypocrite” in parliament on Wednesday, Liberal Party director Tony Nutt tweeted a link, so people could watch…
The Turnbull government got no clear air over the summer break.
Mick Tsikas/AAP
With parliament resuming this week, the first Newspoll of 2017 has the government trailing Labor 46-54% on the two-party vote and the Coalition’s primary vote falling four points to 35%.
Labor will be looking to Bill Shorten’s speech to the National Press Club to reinforce the momentum that has seen the ALP ahead in the polls.
Glenn Hunt/AAP
Bill Shorten will put creating new jobs, sustaining existing ones, and training and retraining Australian jobseekers at the heart of his economic agenda in a major speech on Tuesday.
Senior Lecturer in Political Science: Research Fellow at the Cairns Institute; Research Associate for Centre for Policy Futures, University of Queensland, James Cook University