Bill’s bipartisan bombast on energy prices disappears as Labor leader lashes out at Libs
Labor leader Bill Shorten in Perth, October 13:
Journalist: Are you still willing to take a bipartisan approach to energy policy?
Shorten: We’re willing to take a bipartisan approach to energy policy …
Don’t be cynical, guys. He really wants to work with the government. Shorten on ABC’s Insiders, July 23:
I want to see us have a bipartisan approach on the problems of climate change and energy prices.
Bill believes we can come together. The Opposition Leader in Canberra, June 13:
We are open to being bipartisan and working with the government because Australians deserve to have downward pressure on electricity prices …
Let’s all hold hands and cut electricity prices. Shorten speaking at the Clean Energy Summit, July 18:
… compromise is a two-way street. I get the sense that Mr Turnbull is willing to compromise with the right wing of his party — he just offers my Labor Party take-it-or-leave-it.
Maybe it was clear things would go awry. Shorten on Twitter, yesterday:
Turnbull’s energy plan: trashing jobs and the renewable energy industry for 50 cents off your power bill. Not good enough.
Opposition Treasury spokesman Chris Bowen swore Labor was open to helping out the Liberals. Canberra, Wednesday:
Now the Labor Party will continue to be the adults in the room here. We have been offering the government bipartisanship for months.
And so he was. Bowen in Sydney, October 10:
Bill Shorten, Mark Butler and myself have made it crystal clear repeatedly that we want to see bipartisanship …
As long as Labor gets what it wants …
Bowen in Canberra, Wednesday:
We told them that they could have bipartisan support for a clean energy target …
In other news, we’ve been concerned by moves worldwide to whitewash history. The Australian’s editorial, yesterday:
… university heads should take a hands-on role to ensure history teaching is not limited by the narrow lens of identity politics. The self-understanding of this and future generations is at stake.
They’re rewriting history on a whole new level over in the US. NBC News online, yesterday:
An elementary school in Mississippi named after the president of the Confederacy (Jefferson Davis) will be renamed …
The US President won’t be happy with Mississippi. Donald Trump on Twitter, August 17:
Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart … can’t change history, but you can learn from it. Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson — who’s next, Washington, Jefferson? So foolish!
So what are they renaming the school? NBC News online, yesterday:
Davis Magnet International Baccalaureate Elementary in Jackson … will be renamed Barack Obama Magnet International Baccalaureate Elementary …
Oh boy, we can expect an angry tweet very soon from a powerful man. Trump on Twitter, May 16 last year:
President Obama is the worst president in US history!