Labor leader Bill Shorten refuses to answer question on cost of emissions plan

It wasn’t a good look for Bill Shorten on the campaign trail in Melbourne on Tuesday when he refused to answer a question from a journalist about the cost to the economy of his emissions reduction policy.

It wasn’t a good look for Bill Shorten on the campaign trail in Melbourne on Tuesday when he refused to answer a question from a journalist about the cost to the economy of his emissions reduction policy.

Five times, Channel 10’s Jonathan Lea pressed the Opposition Leader and five times Shorten refused to answer:

“Since your budget reply speech you’ve focused on health. When can voters expect to learn more about Labor’s emission reduction target, how you’re going to get there and the cost to the economy?”

Ten News reporter Jonathan Lea asking Mr Shorten the question on Tuesday. Picture: AAP

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Good question. But all Shorten could say was, “Well, first of all I haven’t focused exclusively on health,” denying an assertion Lea had not made.

Then he waffled on about how unfair the government’s economic management is, and something about childcare and TAFE.

Lea wasn’t wearing it: “That’s why we’re here, to ask questions and you’re not answering.” Shorten grew tetchy, defensive, sneering and then dismissive.

Mr Shorten campaigning in Adelaide on Tuesday. Picture: AAP

He has a knack of skating away from scrutiny when it comes to answering for his policies. He thinks he can become PM without being subjected to the blowtorch. But that’s not how democracy and the free press works.

The fact is, Labor’s commitment to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 45 per cent by 2030 is a radical hit to the economy that will increase power prices by an estimated 50 per cent and wipe half a trillion dollars from the economy over 10 years.

Shorten claims he can achieve this miracle by whacking a tax on so-called big emitters, extending draconian land clearing restrictions, increasing renewable energy targets, and somehow commanding half of new cars to be electric by 2030.

You’d think Shorten would welcome the opportunity to refute the scare campaign, yet yesterday he squibbed it.

If he thinks such a drastic change to our lifestyle is not worth explaining, then voters will decide for the second time he isn’t worthy of the Lodge.