Bill Shorten officially launches his campaign

OPPOSITION Leader Bill Shorten officially launched Labor’s campaign today and there was a reason why it was so important.

Leader of the Opposition Bill Shorten, wife Chloe and children Rupert and Clementine at the Labor campaign launch. Picture: Mick Tsikas/AAP

ANALYSIS

MANY voters have a remoteness from this election, and the major parties have just two weeks left to eliminate it.

Labor is hoping a no-frills policy list will negate the rejection, almost disgust, some electors have towards both major parties.

The signs of a nation deeply involved in this campaign certainly weren’t there outside the official ALP launch in Sydney’s Penrith.

The only signs of any sort, apart from Labor’s election material, were a banner unfurled by a small, well-behaved group opposing the Westconnex project, and a sandwich-board placard worn by a Nick Xenophon Team chap.

They were the only indicates of a national divided — or even interested.

There was as much excitement outside the Dame Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre as is running through the rest of the nation when it occasionally considers this election.

That is why the party launch — an otherwise outdated event for Labor and the Liberals — was important for Bill Shorten.

He had to firmly marshall his appeal to voters if he was going to mobilise them towards a Labor vote on July 2.

He had to convince them this election was about them, and not about jobs for a bunch of politicians.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten makes a speech during his campaign launch. Picture Kym Smith

It was a strong speech powerfully delivered by Mr Shorten, directed at voters in the “hard-scrabble suburbs of this country” with only a hint of apprehension they might not be listening and might readily put their votes well away from the major parties.

This was a request for voters to deliver a working majority to Labor, and not allow the cynicism they have for the major parties and politics in general to lead them to independents and micro-parties.

“At this election we’re seeking to make history — and millions of Australians are counting on us to do just that,” said Mr Shorten at the conclusion of his address.

“Because a close-run-race won’t do the job, and an honourable second-place will not suffice.”

So, no hung Parliaments please. And please, start listening to us.

One reason for the cynicism was sitting in the front row of the audience listening to Mr Shorten in the line of former Labor PMs.

There was Bob Hawke, who had been rolled by Paul Keating who sat next to him.

And there was Julia Gillard, just eight days away from the third anniversary of her ouster by Kevin Rudd, who was overseas and couldn’t make the launch.

Bill Shorten, who wants to be the fifth Prime Minister in three years and six days, was active in the removal of both Mr Rudd and Ms Gillard.

Former Prime Ministers Bob Hawke, Paul Keating and Julia Gillard listening to Opposition Leader Bill Shorten at Labor's Campaign launch. Picture Kym Smith

But at the launch he took the policies back to basics and away from “politics” to counter the reality of Labor’s recent history sitting in front of him.

“Politics is not perfect — it never was, it never will be,” he said.

“But if you want to know why this election will make a difference — to you, your family, to Australia’s future, I can give you the answer in one word: Medicare.

“This election is a referendum on the future of Medicare.”

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull today called the Labor claim he would privatise Medicare “an extraordinary and audacious lie”, and there is no on hand evidence he wants to.

But Mr Shorten’s claim was about positioning Labor, not just saluting universal health coverage.

It was a challenge to Prime Minister Turnbull to argue that the poll was a referendum on $48 billion worth of tax cuts for companies.

Originally published as Bill Shorten officially launches his campaign