SUBJECT/S: Labor leadership issues and superannuation



NEIL MITCHELL:    We need to go now straight to Bill Shorten, Labor Minister. He's on the line now. Good morning.

BILL SHORTEN:  Good morning Neil.

NEIL MITCHELL: What's going to happen?

BILL SHORTEN:  We'll have a ballot at ten o'clock...

NEIL MITCHELL: Yes, I know that.

BILL SHORTEN:     Oh, I thought you were asking me about the detail of what happens today.

NEIL MITCHELL: No. Who's going to win?

BILL SHORTEN:     I believe that the Prime Minister Julia Gillard has a majority of support.

NEIL MITCHELL: Will this be the end of it?

BILL SHORTEN:  I believe so.

NEIL MITCHELL:    I've had Doug Cameron, Senator Cameron, a member of Caucus say to me today well, she's on a warning effectively. She has to lift her game or it'll happen again and Bruce Hawker, Kevin Rudd's main strategist has said exactly the same thing. So why is it the end of it?

BILL SHORTEN:     Oh well, I won't comment about Mr Hawker. In terms of Caucus members saying things, there's been a lot said in the last week. It's been a very intense debate. The reason why I think it's the end of it is that she is the best person to lead Labor. She's strong, she's tough, she's in it for the right reasons and I do also believe that the Labor Party, whatever people out there think about the merits of Labor or Liberal, the Labor Party has had a discussion about its leadership.

Now the Labor Party wants to make sure it presents its alternative in a united form, fashioned to the Australian people.

NEIL MITCHELL: Do you think she needs to improve her performance?

BILL SHORTEN:     I think she's doing a good job. I think certain things will change in the course of the year. By that what I mean is that the carbon price will be implemented. We'll see some of the accompanying tax reforms coming in, we'll see some of the family payments being made. I think that'll help.

I do think we need to get on and pass superannuation legislation through the senate. It's gone through the House of Representatives, that's legislation lifting superannuation from nine to twelve per cent. In addition I think that we're proposing a tax cut on superannuation for three and a half million people who earn less than thirty-seven thousand dollars.

What we're going to do is abolish the fifteen per cent tax that they pay on their super contributions. There are a range of propositions which, as they begin to unfold, people will say this Government gets what's happening in the lives of Australians. You know, we're growing older, the Asian economies are rising, there's turmoil inEurope, how do we make sure our young ones can find jobs in the future?

NEIL MITCHELL:    Mm, so does she need to improve or you're saying what's around her will improve? Does she need to sell better, to present better...

BILL SHORTEN:   We all need to sell better. I think that I've never had the view that all the issues of the Labor Government solely come down to either Mr Rudd or the Prime Minister. I think that the whole Government needs to sell its message better. We need to be able to be seen to be listening better.

NEIL MITCHELL:  Do you think that you can trust Kevin Rudd and his supporters on the back bench?

BILL SHORTEN:  Yes. What happens in political parties and happens on both sides, is that you do have intense leadership debates from time to time. When - the time Malcolm Turnbull rolled Brendan Nelson didn't seem to get that intense, but I remember when Joe Hockey, Malcolm Turnbull and Tony Abbott, only a year and a half - two years ago, were having a fight over who should run the Liberal Party and there was some pretty strong things said, both on and off the record but they seem to have pulled together, so...

NEIL MITCHELL:    Okay. Do you have any doubt Julia Gillard will lead you at the next election?

BILL SHORTEN:  No, I think she's the best person and I have no doubt.

NEIL MITCHELL: Have you been on the phone doing numbers?

BILL SHORTEN:     This myth that somehow elected Members of Parliament are robots waiting for instructions from some sort of mother ship, I just don't think it's right. MPs are - again, it doesn't matter if you're Conservative or Labor - MPs, by the time they've got elected to Parliament, are working issues out themselves. They're conscientious, they work hard, they are concerned about the views of their constituents and the organisations who've supported them.

NEIL MITCHELL: So is that a no?

BILL SHORTEN:  No.

NEIL MITCHELL: You haven't been on the phone? Didn't talk to anybody?

BILL SHORTEN:  Sorry, your question is?

NEIL MITCHELL: Have you been on the phone...

BILL SHORTEN:  Doing the numbers?

NEIL MITCHELL: Yeah.

BILL SHORTEN:  I'm on the phone all the time. I'm on the phone to you.

NEIL MITCHELL: Yeah, but I haven't got to vote.

BILL SHORTEN:  Oh, you're influential.

NEIL MITCHELL: Anyway, I know you're very busy. I appreciate your time, thank you.

BILL SHORTEN:  No worries. Thank you, bye.

NEIL MITCHELL:    Bill Shorten, Cabinet Minister, Gillard supporter and a Labor numbers man. Sixteen past...