Shorten pledges full employment for all in National Press Club speech

BILL Shorten will use a crucial speech today to define a new battleground in the upcoming federal election, and address one of his core weaknesses.

Bill Shorten

A PLEDGE to fight for “full employment” will today spearhead Bill Shorten’s bid to make sure Labor and not the government defines workplace issues in the coming election.

The Opposition Leader will use a speech to promise relief for a million underemployed workers and to eliminate wages as low as $6-an-hour paid by unscrupulous employers.

Mr Shorten will not nominate a figure for full employment when he addresses the National Press Club, but will refer to a “broader and deeper” meaning.

“Because behind the monthly headline of the unemployment rate, there is a more complex story to tell about work in Australia,” reads his speech.

“Right now, over 1 million Australians are underemployed.

“People working part time who want to be working full time. People employed as ‘full time’ who are only offered part-time hours.

“And the rapidly increasing rate of casual employees presents challenges too, particularly for women and those in low-paid industries — where insecure work too often leads to exploitation.”

Bill Shorten will vow to provide full employment for all if he becomes prime minister.

This will be a stark contrast to the workplace relations battlefield the government wants to base its election campaign on.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is expected to rely on anti-trade union sentiments from findings of the Trade Union Royal Commission.

Mr Turnbull also is demanding the industry watchdog, the Australian Building and Construction Commission, be revived to keep a check on union activities. He has raised the prospect of a double dissolution election should the Senate not pass the ABCC legislation.

And Mr Shorten himself is expected to be a Coalition target, with aspects of his career as a union leader raised during the election campaign.

The Labor leader wants to make his union background a positive: “I recognise the importance of flexible, adaptive and productive workplaces — I worked with employees and management to achieve them for nearly 20 years.”

His Press Club speech, at the start of a short but eventful parliamentary sitting week, will repeat accusations of inactivity Labor has been firing at Mr Turnbull.

Bill Shorten will use his Press Club speech to point out Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s flaws. Picture: Justin Lloyd

Mr Shorten will suggest Mr Turnbull has “betrayed” voters by placating the Liberal right wing.

“The Prime Minister’s betrayals on climate change, marriage equality, the republic and Safe Schools diminish him — and they diminish us all,” Mr Shorten will say in today’s speech.

“We should have legislated marriage equality by now. We should have finally put the environmental risks and economic waste of climate denialism behind us.

“We should be surging forward on recognition, on the republic, on forging a new modern identity for Australia. But Mr Turnbull is not just letting Australia down, he is holding us back.”

Mr Shorten will pledge to fight the poll on education, health, fair tax system and action on climate change.

“These are the fundamental issues which will drive economic growth, productivity and living standards in the decade ahead,” Mr Shorten’s speech reads.

“And these are the issues which will define this year’s election.

“On every one of these questions, Mr Turnbull has been a massive disappointment to the people of Australia.”