Miranda Devine: Shorten’s Budget reply speech was long on hubris and short on truth

Bill Shorten pitched himself as Australia’s Agony King last night. Wheelchair users, cancer sufferers, domestic violence victims, Millennials struggling to buy a house — all were the targets of a speech that was long on hubris and short on truth.

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Bill Shorten pitched himself as Australia’s Agony King last night. Wheelchair users, cancer sufferers, domestic violence victims, Millennials struggling to buy a house — all were the targets of Shorten’s singsong compassion.

He laid sick and disabled Australia at the feet of the Morrison government in a
30-minute speech that was long on hubris and short on truth.

Deputy Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek, Leader Bill Shorten and Opposition Treasurer Chris Bowen after the Budget Reply speech. Picture: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

He claimed the government has cut spending on health, education and the NDIS.

It’s not true but it is the same line Labor has been running since the successful MediScare campaign of 2016.

If you’re on a good thing, stick to it.

Shorten gripped the lectern hard as he read from A4 pages typed out in double-spaced large print, but there were no other signs of nerves.

His loudest applause came when he pledged “real action on climate change”.

Then he doubled down on his crazy electric car thought bubble.

Bill Shorten's Budget reply at a glance

First, he boasted of giving a tax break to “a tradie getting a new ute”, the very drivers most put out by his dream of turning half the cars on the road electric.

Then he said he wants, not only to make batteries in Australia, but also “let’s do it with electric vehicles and charging equipment and stations, too … We can make three words famous right around the world … Made In Australia.”

Can’t a man dream?

You could smell the hubris in the air as Shorten finished by claiming to be a bloke who chooses “hope over fear”.

Then he and deputy Tanya Plibersek hugged and turned to wave slowly at the public gallery like a newly crowned king and queen.