Extract from The Guardian
The opposition leader, Bill Shorten,
says he will soon unveil a major policy to “create one tax system for
all”, while denying his recent rhetoric on inequality is influenced by
Jeremy Corbyn or Bernie Sanders.
Shorten has been under internal pressure in recent months to toughen Labor’s economic and tax policy before the next election.
In a speech in Melbourne on Friday, the opposition leader described inequality as the “defining mission” of a future Labor government.
The language of the speech drew comparisons to themes successfully used by Corbyn in the United Kingdom and Sanders in the United States.
On Sunday, Shorten would not spell out specific policy initiatives. But he said he was “very close” to announcing Labor’s tax policy, which Fairfax Media reported could be signed off by shadow cabinet next week and announced next weekend.
“We’re going to make further tax reform announcements,” Shorten told
the ABC’s Insiders program. “But what I’m also prepared to say here is
that we, as a party, are doing the hard work to create one tax system
for all.”
He said he was not influenced by Corbyn or Sanders, and said he did not resent the wealthy.
“I’m not influenced by them,” Shorten said. “I am influenced by the hundreds of thousands of conversations of people I’ve met since I’ve become leader of the Labor party.”
Shorten also voiced support for extending parliamentary terms from three to four years, saying it would give certainty and allow for longer-term policy making. He called for the Coalition to join him in that position.
“Governments can be more daring and more determined if they’re not constantly thinking about the next election,” Shorten said.
Earlier this week, the former prime minister Kevin Rudd said asylum seekers resettled in Papua New Guinea should have been returned to Australia three years ago. He said the resettlement deal with PNG was only supposed to last for a year.
That conflicts with the position of the Labor party and comments made by Rudd when the agreement was struck.
Shorten was asked whether there were moves within the party to change Labor’s position on indefinite detention. He said he wanted to see the government succeed in its arrangement with the US and strike deals with other nations for third-country resettlement.
“I respect the concern that people have about indefinite detention,” Shorten said. “But I also know that people never ever want to see people drown at sea in the manner which happened courtesy of the criminal syndicates and people smugglers.”
Shorten has been under internal pressure in recent months to toughen Labor’s economic and tax policy before the next election.
In a speech in Melbourne on Friday, the opposition leader described inequality as the “defining mission” of a future Labor government.
The language of the speech drew comparisons to themes successfully used by Corbyn in the United Kingdom and Sanders in the United States.
On Sunday, Shorten would not spell out specific policy initiatives. But he said he was “very close” to announcing Labor’s tax policy, which Fairfax Media reported could be signed off by shadow cabinet next week and announced next weekend.
He said he was not influenced by Corbyn or Sanders, and said he did not resent the wealthy.
“I’m not influenced by them,” Shorten said. “I am influenced by the hundreds of thousands of conversations of people I’ve met since I’ve become leader of the Labor party.”
Shorten also voiced support for extending parliamentary terms from three to four years, saying it would give certainty and allow for longer-term policy making. He called for the Coalition to join him in that position.
“Governments can be more daring and more determined if they’re not constantly thinking about the next election,” Shorten said.
Earlier this week, the former prime minister Kevin Rudd said asylum seekers resettled in Papua New Guinea should have been returned to Australia three years ago. He said the resettlement deal with PNG was only supposed to last for a year.
That conflicts with the position of the Labor party and comments made by Rudd when the agreement was struck.
Shorten was asked whether there were moves within the party to change Labor’s position on indefinite detention. He said he wanted to see the government succeed in its arrangement with the US and strike deals with other nations for third-country resettlement.
“I respect the concern that people have about indefinite detention,” Shorten said. “But I also know that people never ever want to see people drown at sea in the manner which happened courtesy of the criminal syndicates and people smugglers.”
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