Richard Marles lashes Bill Shorten’s ‘politics of division’

Richard Marles has condemned the strategies and electoral failure of Bill Shorten.

Richard Marles, right, has criticised the tactics and strategies identified with Bill Shorten, left. such as the “politics of division”, being anti-business and having short-term social media appeal instead of long-term vision.

Richard Marles has leapt to the defence of Anthony Albanese’s leadership of the Labor Party and condemned the strategies and electoral failure of Bill Shorten.

As complaints grow within the ALP about the Opposition Leader’s tactics since the election, the deputy Labor leader has praised Mr Albanese’s toughness, tough calls and tough inauguration while declaring “we need to change”.

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Mr Marles, the right-wing deputy leader elected unopposed with the left-wing Mr Albanese after Mr Shorten’s defeat in May, concedes that “in these early days there have been challenges on our side” as Labor is divided over ­responsibility for the election loss and policy changes.

“The election defeat was difficult for Labor and our supporters. But we have dusted ourselves off and returned to parliament with a renewed sense of energy and purpose,” Mr Marles writes in The Australian.

“We are a serious group of people devastated by the opportunity lost for our nation at this year’s election, shocked by the smug indolence of the Morrison government, and utterly determined to deliver to the millions of Australians who want for a better nation an Albanese Labor government.”

While praising Mr Albanese for his actions since the election and setting out a new direction for a “united” Labor Party, Mr Marles criticised tactics and strategies identified with Mr Shorten such as the “politics of division”, being anti-business and having short-term social media appeal instead of long-term vision.

“We need to change. Part of that is resetting the reflex muscle that led us to believe that our fortunes were pegged to winning the daily cycle which ultimately proved to be a false economy.

“There is a stark difference between holding the government to account and simply seeking victory in the pursuit of a good headline. An approach that aims for a longer-term vision which spans beyond 140 characters,” he said.

“Our focus will be developing a compelling argument that speaks to the aspirations of working men and women … We will go to the next election embracing aspiration, which has been at the heart of social mobility and is the key to building an egalitarian Australia. This is, after all, a Labor idea.”

Mr Marles said Labor would be “the party of jobs, productivity and growth” promoting aspiration and building of the middle class.

As part of that approach, Mr Marles praised the Labor decision under Mr Albanese to support new trade agreements with Indonesia, Hong Kong and Peru to create jobs and commit to growth.

“Next week, in Perth, Anthony will deliver his first vision statement on jobs and the future of work. This will set out a clear message that we put jobs first and embrace advanced manufacturing and new industry,” Mr Marles said.

Although Labor was devastated by the defeat, Mr Marles cited Kevin Rudd’s victory over John Howard in 2007 as evidence Labor could win the next election under Mr Albanese with an aspirational message to middle Australia.

He said Mr Albanese has a ­“vision for an economy which is stronger and fairer, in fact an economy which is stronger because it is fairer”.

“Kevin and Labor seized the moment in 2007, because we had an agenda and a message that landed in middle Australia,” Mr Marles said.