Social media demands answers over Bill Shorten’s kitchen stain

When Bill Shorten posted a seemingly innocent photo preparing school lunches, Australia wanted answers. Now his wife has provided one.

First it was Barnaby Joyce’s tea towel. Now it’s Bill Shorten’s burn stain.

The opposition leader posted a back to school photo to his social media accounts this morning when all attention turned not to the dry Ryvita crackers, Vegemite and snow peas, but the mark in the background.

It seems Mr Shorten has had to put out fires at home too.

Surely if politicians have learnt anything by now, it’s that you think carefully about the background and props before snapping your photo — or Photoshop new shoes in if you realise what was originally in the photo wasn’t up to scratch.

Comments on social media quickly turned to Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s shoegate debacle:

Hi Bill. When you are PM - which can’t happen soon enough - you’ll have people who can fix stuff like that burnt patch with photoshop. Like this. #auspol #shorten #shoegate #kitchengate #schoollunchgate #electionNOW #AusVotes2019 pic.twitter.com/F207xyd4cn

— tomred (@TomRed43) January 29, 2019

If you were the only person in Australia to miss that one, ScoMo landed himself in an awkward Photoshop blunder when the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet gave him some new shoes.

The eagle-eyed team from Shorten’s media unit tweeted the editing fail, so we can’t help but wonder who was responsible for circulating this burn, or whether it was intentionally left in the photo.

And who could forget Joyce’s infamous photo shoot when he and pregnant partner Vikki Campion opened up for the first time, in which the deputy prime minister had a tea towel wrapped around his neck.

Okay ... here is the star pic IMO.

Imagine how it went - "righto Barnaby, you're playing the victim remember - hows about you stand there looking like a blockhead and drape the tea towel over your shoulders for effect?"

Perfect ... CLICK! pic.twitter.com/r5y6GF6tCW

— Coalition Tea Lady (@ItsBouquet) February 21, 2018

This morning Shorten posted his pic with the caption: “Back to school means back to making school lunches”.

Margaret Ambrose was the first to comment on Facebook with, “OK, lovely pic and all, but I’m actually more interested in hearing what happened to the wall behind your stove?? Burn your dinner??”, and her comment has drawn hundreds of likes and replies.

Maybe he had one of these moments pic.twitter.com/s17tXpTwGP

— Eaz (@eazlazh) January 29, 2019

Some said the photo showed Shorten was a normal family man capable of having accidents, while others joked he would get a new kitchen at The Lodge pretty soon.

Of course, some pointed out it could have been someone else in his blended family, including one of the children.

Many pointed out the Aussie product placement and the healthy snow peas, but the rest of social media is demanding answers.

Shorten’s office didn’t provide an explanation, but his wife did on Instagram.

Commenting on her husband’s Instagram, Chloe Shorten said: “That would have been one of my little people a few years back...and boy was that a massive lecture!”

Problem solved.