A compassionate leader who still has work to do

Bowing out of politics, Bill Shorten has cast himself as the Frank Sinatra of Labor. Regrets, he’s had a few but too few to mention. He did what he had to do, he said, his way. From trade union leader to prime ministerial hopeful, Mr Shorten was farewelled on Thursday as someone who took a compassionate focus to his public duties whether they be workers trapped in the Beaconsfield mine collapse, the disabled or welfare recipients caught up in the bureaucratic nightmare of Robodebt. But there is also the numbers man who took a lead role in the turmoil of the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd leadership changes but was unable to finesse the numbers to fulfil his own ambition to become prime minister where it mattered, at the ballot box. The jury is still out on what Mr Shorten’s legacy will be.

There is a factional story behind Mr Shorten’s departure. And he had reportedly told colleagues he was dismayed at the direction Labor was going on a range of issues. A strong supporter of the Jewish community in Melbourne, he was appalled at the position taken on the war in Gaza. For this alone, Mr Shorten deserves respect. His departure is a further blow to the influence and standing of the Victorian Right wing of the Labor Party, increasing the power of the Left, a worrying situation for good government and the nation.

Ultimately, however, Mr Shorten’s political legacy must be defined by whether or not the National Disability Insurance Scheme, which he has championed, can be brought to sustainable heel before it swallows the economic flexibility of future governments and the nation. Anthony Albanese said he had asked Mr Shorten to remain in cabinet until his departure in February because there was important work still to be done to put the NDIS on a sustainable footing. Mr Shorten still has time to build on the modest reforms he has achieved, which put some responsibility back on to state governments. As we editorialised last month, while the political deal looks done, Mr Shorten still faces opposition to both the details and the spirit of what he intends. The peak NDIS consultation collective, the Disability Representative Organisations, rejects proposed changes and calls for more support to provide services as they are. But with the scheme already costing $40bn a year and heading to $92bn in a decade, left unchecked the question inevitably will arise: What other public services would need to be cut to fund NDIS growth? Given his intention to take up the role of vice-chancellor of the University of Canberra, Mr Shorten must recuse himself from any deliberations involving the higher education sector. He is right to say a university education is the modern means of taking someone from disadvantage to advantage in a way no other method can. He will reportedly swell his own income to more than $1m, possibly double that of the Prime Minister.

Anthony Albanese was generous in his praise for Mr Shorten, whom he allowed to make his farewells from the prime ministerial courtyard. But by delaying his departure, Mr Shorten ensures that no by-election will be necessary whenever a federal election is called. His announced departure will take some leadership pressure off Mr Albanese if his fortunes continue to struggle in the polls as the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite. Mr Shorten failed in his tilt at becoming prime minister because he misread the public mood on economic measures, including an end to negative gearing and taxing of dividend income for retirees. As such, he would have a keen insight into the potential dangers facing the government at the election given its current misadventure on the inflation fight, energy prices, bracket creep and plans to tax unrealised capital gains. He will now be free to survey the results from the ivory tower.