Bill Shorten blames ‘corporate leviathans’ and the media for his election loss

Bill Shorten has blamed “corporate leviathans” and sections of the media for his election loss.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese and former leader Bill Shorten at the Labor Caucus meeting at Parliament House House in Canberra. Picture: Kym Smith

Bill Shorten has blamed “corporate leviathans” and “a financial behemoth” for his shock election loss, as he passed on the leadership of the Labor Party to Anthony Albanese.

Mr Shorten will remain on Labor’s frontbench in a yet-unknown position but ends a nearly six-year-tenure leading the party today.

The former opposition leader told Labor’s party room in Canberra there were “lessons from defeat” but said it would take time to discover the real reasons behind his election loss, and that “powerful vested interests” were a major hurdle to his campaign.

“I understand there are lessons to be learned from defeat,” he told the Labor party room.

“We were up against corporate leviathans, a financial behemoth, spending hundreds of millions of dollars telling lies, spreading fear.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese with former leader Bill Shorten en route to the Caucus meeting at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: Kym Smith

“Powerful vested interests campaigned against us. Through sections of the media itself, and they got what they wanted.

“And I understand that neither of these challenges disappeared on election night. They’re still out there for us to face. It is important we face them with courage and honesty, with principle, and unity.”

Mr Shorten’s attack on corporate and media interests is in direct contrast to Mr Albanese’s post-election statements. The new opposition leader has said Labor needs to work with business and has conducted interviews with broadcasters Mr Shorten boycotted such as 2GB’s Alan Jones and 3AW’s Neil Mitchell.

.@billshortenmp congratulates @AlboMP at the Labor party room meeting: I want to congratulate Albo on becoming the 21st leader of the ALP… I have every confidence that he will lead us to victory at the next election…

MORE: https://t.co/iQh7Nf1H3s #kennyreport pic.twitter.com/r7ojbyglEZ

— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) May 30, 2019

His remarks also contrasted with Mr Albanese who told Caucus that he accepted his share of responsibility for Labor’s shock election loss. “I think the senior members, all of us, have to accept responsibility, that those many millions of Australians who rely upon us and the tens of thousands of people who have worked on our campaigns, need us to do better next time. And today we resolve to do just that.’’

MORE: Albanese says I accept my share of blame

Mr Shorten thanked both his leadership team of Tanya Plibersek, Penny Wong, and Don Farrell and his staff.

“Friends in the end, all of us are only passing through. And each of us has a responsibility to think big, to think boldly, to leave this place better than we found it,” Mr Shorten said.

“I’m lucky to look forward to serving alongside all of you.”

.@billshortenmp addresses the Labor party room meeting: I want to acknowledge all of our candidates who fought and fell short…They deserved a victory, and it will be our job to deliver that to them next time.

MORE: https://t.co/iQh7Nf1H3s #kennyreport pic.twitter.com/uOTSMHYZvS

— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) May 30, 2019

Mr Albanese backed in his predecessor’s criticisms and said mining billionaire Clive Palmer’s campaign had damaged Labor’s electoral hopes.

“There is no doubt that if you spend tens of millions of dollars on a campaign, part of which is full page ads which are negative about Labor, it will have an impact,” he said in Canberra today.

“Quite clearly it didn’t have enough of an impact to elect Clive Palmer or any of his party.”

But Mr Albanese did say he wanted to have a more pro-business approach than the party had before the election.