E&OE TRANSCRIPT
SUBJECTS: Bill Shorten resignation
STEPHEN CENATIEMPO, HOST: Now I mentioned earlier this morning, the big news yesterday is that Bill Shorten, the Minister and former Opposition Leader, has decided to call it quits after 17 years in parliament, and he joins us now. Bill, good morning.
BILL SHORTEN, MINISTER FOR THE NDIS AND GOVERNMENT SERVICES: Good morning, Stephen.
CENATIEMPO: Now, suggestions are you're not going to be taking a pay cut. Wonder why you didn't do it years ago?
SHORTEN: Well, six terms I've been very – I've loved my job and there's been good days and there's been some really crap days, but there's not a day I'd hand back. No one in my family ever got to be in politics before me. It's unimaginable. You know, my family were pretty working class, a couple of generations back and so it's just a privilege, but I love the job. You know, when you get to your mid fifties, you think, well, do I want to do a couple more terms here and be a lifer or do you want to do something which expresses your values and all your hard won lessons? And I think fulfilling people's potential, young people, all the researchers doing their work, I reckon that's in the national interest.
CENATIEMPO: Can I ask you this because, I mean, some commentators are being a little bit ungenerous and suggesting that, you know, you may be the first rat leaving a sinking ship. But is there a level of frustration that you leave with because particularly in your current job as the NDIS Minister, I know you've been banging your head against a brick wall a little bit. Has that played a role?
SHORTEN: No, I'm not frustrated. I'm really proud of what we've accomplished in this term. When you look at the policies we took to 2022 election on the NDIS, we're doing them. In fact, we've implemented them and we're making progress. So, yeah, I've got some things I want to finish up. I want to make sure that we've got a system that the vast amount of unregistered providers, that we actually do have scrutiny over them, because you can't have a system where people are putting in invoices with no documentation, and so we're getting to the bottom of a range of things, and Services Australia, you know, it's been good this term. We've been able to get overdue extra resources and now we're answering the phones quickly, sorting out people's payments and coming up with some pretty good digital services which prioritise individuals keeping control of their personal information. So, I'm not frustrated, I think, I can't believe how lucky I've been, you know, even with not winning. I mean, the irony about not winning 2019 is that then allowed me to organise the Robodebt class action. So, you know, it's up to you to find, it's up to an individual to find the good in what they can do.
CENATIEMPO: Well, there's swings and roundabouts in everything. So, 17 years ago, you were a union leader, you find yourself in a seat in parliament. Yesterday at your press conference, you quoted Frank Sinatra. You said, regrets, you've had a few. What are they?
SHORTEN: Well, I did also say, when I said regrets, I've had a few. I did. You know the next line, don't you?
CENATIEMPO: Yes, indeed.
SHORTEN: I did say regrets, I had a few, but then again, too few to mention.
CENATIEMPO: What do you point to as your legacy –
SHORTEN: I'm not complaining about anything. I, you know, I’ve an amazing family. I’ve met amazing Australians. I've learned a lot more from the people I've represented. That was the case when I was a union rep, it’s the case as a member of parliament. You know, I had the chance to go to Afghanistan and see our ADF, Iraq. I've had the chance to see our paralympians perform, but I've also had the chance to watch what happens in Northbourne Avenue in the early morning kitchen, where they look after people who need a square meal at the start of the day. People are pretty impressive.
CENATIEMPO: So, with the new rule, would you be based here in Canberra? The new role that you're taking up?
SHORTEN: Yeah, net population growth will go up in Canberra, or I don’t about net, but certainly, yeah, I'm moving to Canberra next year.
CENATIEMPO: Now, apart from Mehreen Faruqi, the tributes that have come from right across the parliament have been fairly glowing and quite touched, even, I mean, I thought a very, very gracious tribute from Tony Abbott. I guess that's a testament to the relationships you've made right across the political aisle?
SHORTEN: Yeah, not everyone gets – listen, I don't know what Faruqi said. I'm sure it didn't add to the sum of human knowledge –
CENATIEMPO: No, of course it didn’t.
SHORTEN: – but in terms of Tony, listen, I think he had an austerity agenda in 2014, which had to be opposed, but he actually believed in things. You might not agree with what he believed in, but, you know, people ask me, what was he like? He's a man of conviction and, you know in this world, you don't have to agree with everyone, but you can still respect that someone's got a view, and I remember working closely with him when MH17 was shot down by Russian sponsored separatists in Ukraine, and we worked together on that. We worked together on a range of issues in terms of national security and the defence. Yeah, so, and I think that when Malcolm rolled him, it was a little ungracious, the way that happened on the day, and then Malcolm got up and gave a speech, and he's a very charismatic fellow, too, Malcolm. He's got many strengths. But it was left to me to acknowledge that, hey, Tony Abbott was the Prime Minister till today and, you know, I paid him a bit of tribute because it's the highest office in the land, so there's a mutual respect. He wouldn't vote for me and I wouldn't vote for him, but that doesn't mean you've got to hate people.
CENATIEMPO: You make an interesting point there, because Bill – Tony Abbott said the same thing about you, that you're a man of conviction and conviction politicians are few and far between these days. Are you concerned that you leave a hole in the parliament because that ability to have discourse with people you disagree with seems to be diminishing on a daily basis?
SHORTEN: Yes and no. Just on this hole in the parliament. I don't know if you've ever chucked a pebble into a pond. It makes a splash, but the water covers over the mark pretty quickly. I leave no hole. There will be plenty of talented people to come through, but in terms of the ability to negotiate and close deals, I think that is a skill which all sides of politics can always work on. I mean, this is where, only mentioned, I mentioned in the federal level, they don't know how to close a deal. What I've learned a long time ago is never make the good, the enemy or the perfect. Sometimes you can't get everything you want, and I'll take some of something, than all of nothing. And in that same vein, what I have learned the hard way over the years is just because someone doesn't agree with what you think is important doesn't make them bad. People can see one idea from two different perspectives and form a different conclusion on it, and somewhere along the line, all of us, and I've had to learn this, it's no criticism or anyone else, you’ve got to understand, you might be saying something you think is great, but someone else might hear the same words and think, be afraid or be concerned. So, I think the ability to put yourself in the shoes of others and also identify multiple issues when you're having a single issue negotiation, there has to be a winner or a loser, whereas the more you can identify more things of value, then I genuinely believe that if you can do a deal or a negotiation or come to an arrangement where the other party doesn't feel screwed over, that's probably a better outcome.
CENATIEMPO: No doubt about that. Well, Bill, I congratulate you on your years of service and thank you for that service, and I'm sure we'll talk more in your new role when you do take that up next year at the University of Canberra. Congratulations on a great career and thanks for joining us.
SHORTEN: Thanks very much. Cheerio.
CENATIEMPO: All the best. Bill Shorten, the outgoing Member for Maribyrnong and Minister for the NDIS, former Opposition Leader, finishing up after seven years, 17 years in parliament, and talking up a role at the University of Canberra.