Cormann says Shorten’s talking rot, but Shorten does not care a jot

Bill Shorten to Fran Kelly on Radio National Breakfast yesterday:

You’re right, I can’t make everyone happy. That’s true.

Not Mathias Cormann. The Finance Minister on Sky News yesterday:

People cannot trust Bill Shorten. I have never seen anyone who is so shameless, so deliberate and so persistent in lying to the Australian people, misleading the Australian people … You have to remember, Bill Shorten has a track record now, a persistent track record as a liar. Bill Shorten lies. He lied about the citizenship status of his MPs at a time when he knew that he had dual citizens on his team, sitting in parliament in breach of the constitution. He continues to lie about the effect of our company tax cuts …

Greg Brown on The Australian’s website yesterday:

A spokesman for Mr Shorten said: “I don’t care what Mathias Cormann says.”

Meanwhile, back on Sky News:

Host Kieran Gilbert: You might not agree with his numbers, but the fact is he has got a potent message when you combine that with 20 new MRI machines as well. The TAFE courses.

Cormann: His numbers do not add up.

Gilbert: But it is a popular message.

More polite than Cormann, at least. Malcolm Turnbull at the NSW federal budget lunch yesterday:

Bill Shorten’s guarantees are not worth a cracker.

Marginally less polite than the PM. Scott Morrison yesterday:

You just can’t believe the guy. He is “unbelieva-Bill”.

Shorten’s short-lived tweet on Thursday:

1. Bigger, better, fairer tax cuts for 10 million working Aussies; 2. Cutting waiting lists at public hospitals; 3. Twenty new MRIs and 500,000 free scans; 3.(sic) Scrapping upfront fees for 100,000 TAFE places; 5. 200,000 more uni places for young Aussies. My #budgetreply.

Liberal James McGrath replying:

If you can’t count to five, you can’t run the country.

Citizenship woe on the Nine Network’s Today yesterday:

Karl Stefanovic: So right now — categorically, Albo — is everyone in your party safe?

Anthony Albanese: Yes.

Keeping the home fires burning during the same Today interview:

Josh Frydenberg: The big story here is that Bill Shorten is like a wounded gazelle and Albo is like the lion there waiting in the long grass.

Stefanovic: That’s true.

Frydenberg: And the question is, is he ready to pounce?

Stefanovic: Like a tiger!

Albanese: Good try, Josh.

Fran Kelly joining in the fun on Radio National Breakfast yesterday:

Kelly: If Labor loses one of these seats on Super Saturday will you resign?

Shorten: No.

The Sydney Morning Herald’s Jessica Irvine on Twitter on Monday:

Wow. Just read the attendee instructions for budget lockup … Treasury has quietly axed the free tea and coffee urns and will be charging $4 per coffee and $3.80 per muffin. I’ll need that tax cut, after all … #budget 2018

Radio New Zealand’s Sarah Robson replies:

There would be a riot if this happened in NZ. Imagine treasury CHARGING FOR SAUSAGE ROLLS …

New Zealand’s Treasury tweeting the next day:

Don’t worry, @nztreasury will not follow Australia’s decision … Our … analysis shows sausage rolls are integral to NZ’s social capital, and coffee is a prerequisite for productive use of human capital.