In an exclusive interview with the ABC Bill Shorten has announced his resignation will take effect on Monday. This paves the way for a cabinet reshuffle just in time for an election. The ABC understands Mr Shorten's various responsibilities will be spilt up among ministers: Katy Gallagher, Amanda Rishworth and Anne Aly.
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00:00Bill Shorten, thanks for speaking to the ABC.
00:05As our viewers would know, you announced your retirement from politics at the end of last
00:10year.
00:11We now have that departure date next Monday.
00:14After 17 years, how are you feeling?
00:17Well next mid-Monday morning, I'll go and see the Speaker and submit my resignation.
00:24I feel excited about the future, working as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Canberra.
00:30I'm looking forward to working with researchers, teachers and of course young people seeking
00:35to learn more.
00:36But at the same time, a little bit of sadness, I really love my electorate, I love working
00:42with Australians, especially people with disability.
00:45So mixed feelings, but looking forward to the future, but certainly I've really enjoyed
00:52working with Australians to help them.
00:56And on that timing, have you been pushed to go a little early?
00:59It is 10 days earlier than originally anticipated.
01:02Is this about clearing the text ahead of the next federal election?
01:06Actually it's triggered by the University have asked could I come a little bit earlier
01:09so I can be there for the start of the academic year.
01:13And as I promised when I announced I'd resign, I'd work every day up to when I finish and
01:19realistically the tasks which needed to be done are now pretty much completed.
01:24So the timing's right and it allows the Prime Minister to name new Minister or Ministers
01:30and so the team heading into the election can be established before Parliament resumes.
01:36With your departure, who is now going to be the true standard bearer for the Labor-Right
01:42faction?
01:43Who is going to be taking up those battles internally and does it even matter?
01:48Anthony Albanese leads a team of champions.
01:52One thing's for sure in politics, everyone is replaceable and there are many talented
01:57people who will step forward both in the electorate and also in the Cabinet.
02:04Do you think though that the Australian Labor Party can be a successful government without
02:09a strong Right faction?
02:11I think this is a successful government and I think it will continue to be because it's
02:15focused on cost of living.
02:18Cost of living is the first, second, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth
02:22issue.
02:23And I know this government has started the year strongly and between, you know, the measures
02:28which we've already put in place and the tax cuts last year, the energy relief, our focus
02:33on Medicare, helping students have some of that help debt relieved of them.
02:39I think that we've started the year strongly.
02:42You've explained there some of the things that Labor is offering to voters as we head
02:46ever towards that federal poll.
02:49Do you think though Labor has done enough to define what it's going to offer or mean
02:54in terms of a second term of government?
02:57I think that we've already seen the Prime Minister start to outline his commitment to
03:01education, TAFE, his commitment in terms of Medicare and we're going to see more of that
03:07because without your health nothing else matters.
03:10I also think it's now time for Peter Dutton to have his absurd economic bottomless pit
03:16of nuclear power fully examined.
03:19Mr Dutton's making promises that Australians are going to have to pay the cheques for for
03:23the next 40 years on a really expensive form of power generation which to be honest taxpayers
03:29should not have to foot the bill for.
03:31When it comes to the Coalition, how much do you think that the next federal election is
03:34going to be fought on culture war issues, whether that be for example standing in front
03:39of Indigenous flags, the date of Australian Day ceremonies.
03:45It's not unlike what we've seen in terms of the United States when it comes to culture
03:49war issues.
03:50The Coalition, they seem to be convinced that those kinds of debates are resonating here
03:56in Australia.
03:57What's your opinion?
03:58Mr Dutton's attempt to import American style politics to Australia I think underestimates
04:07everyday Aussies.
04:08What Australians want is they want to see help with their personal budgets.
04:13They want to see cost of living being tackled.
04:16They're feeling a lot of pressure from their mortgages.
04:19The economic decisions that the current government's made, I think being the 2025 year will be
04:25a year of promise for Australian family budgets.
04:28This country doesn't have time to waste on issues which divide us.
04:32The world's a pretty complicated and challenging place.
04:35What we need is us all pulling together.
04:39We need to build our future.
04:41We need to hear what governments are going to do if they deserve people's votes in terms
04:46of the hip pocket and the family budget, not on the issues which don't put a single extra
04:53dollar into people's pay packets, which don't help afford the shopping each week.
05:00The NDIS, it's synonymous with the name Bill Shorten.
05:04What advice do you have for whoever takes on your portfolio's responsibilities?
05:09The National Disability Insurance is remarkable.
05:13It is changing hundreds of thousands of lives.
05:15We've just got to make sure that we keep it on the straight and narrow, that some of the
05:21shonky service providers continue to be evicted from the scheme.
05:24I think being NDIS Minister is an amazing portfolio.
05:28It requires passion.
05:30It requires caring about people.
05:32It requires also the willingness to make the tough decisions.
05:35So I think it's a fantastic gig and it's really important because it's world leading, but
05:41it can be better than it is and the work will go on.
05:44It's a bit like painting the Harbour Bridge.
05:46Just when you've done it, you've got to start again and keep going.
05:49That's really worthwhile because people matter.
05:52Of course, no one knows who Anthony Albanese will choose for that role just yet, but speaking
05:58with Labor sources, they're tipping Amanda Richworth to take on those responsibilities.
06:03Is she the right person in your opinion?
06:05I think she's a very talented Minister, but it'll be up to the Prime Minister to pick
06:11someone.
06:12All my colleagues are talented and frankly, they're as good a Cabinet as has been around
06:19in many, many years.
06:21They all work hard.
06:22They're all committed to seeing Aussies get ahead.
06:24So I think the Prime Minister has a wealth of choices.
06:29You'll soon start as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Canberra.
06:33We have seen universities across the nation.
06:35They're facing massive cuts in student numbers, funding is down, they're also sacking staff.
06:41How much of that is the Government's fault?
06:43Well, I am excited about starting at the University of Canberra.
06:47I feel very privileged that they have unanimously picked me to be their next Vice-Chancellor
06:54and President.
06:56The day I start there, then I take off the Labor jumper and whilst I have the same values,
07:04I'll be fighting every day for the University of Canberra and the student and staff there.
07:09I want the learning experience to be great.
07:11I want the teaching and research experience to be great and I want that university working
07:15for its community.
07:16In terms of the troubles generally that higher ed have had, I look forward to working with
07:21my future colleagues to do the very best I can.
07:24But that's a question which you're better off asking me in my new job.
07:29On the current gig and the current payroll, I will do my very best for my voters and people
07:34on the NDIS.
07:36So would you say whether the Government was too slow to reach funding agreements or resetting
07:40some of the prices we saw around arts degrees?
07:44I would say that the Government's done what it needed to do and come Monday, I choose
07:50young people, I choose the people who teach them, I choose any adults who want to get
07:55an education or re-educate themselves, but I'll leave my University of Canberra policy
08:00speech for when I've worked for the University of Canberra.
08:03And finally Bill, would you rule out ever returning to politics?
08:08Can I just go first before we start worrying about that?
08:10The University of Canberra has locked me in for a contract and I am really excited about
08:16the new challenge.
08:17I'm not sure that I will miss the day-to-day punch and judy show, although that's an important
08:22part of Parliament.
08:24I'm not going to miss some of the travel.
08:28I will miss my voters, I think they're great in this area of Australia.
08:32I will miss working with the NDIS and people in Government Services.
08:36I'll certainly miss some of my colleagues, but I'm really looking forward to contributing
08:41to the health of higher education in particular, making University of Canberra the best it
08:47can be.