Bill Shorten

Bill Shorten
Shorten in 2021
Minister for Government Services
Assumed office
1 June 2022
Prime MinisterAnthony Albanese
Preceded byLinda Reynolds
Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme
Assumed office
1 June 2022
Prime MinisterAnthony Albanese
Preceded byLinda Reynolds
20th Leader of the Labor Party
In office
13 October 2013 – 30 May 2019
DeputyTanya Plibersek
Preceded byKevin Rudd
Succeeded byAnthony Albanese
Leader of the Opposition
In office
13 October 2013 – 30 May 2019
Prime Minister
DeputyTanya Plibersek
Preceded byChris Bowen (Interim)
Succeeded byAnthony Albanese
Previous offices 2010–⁠2013
Minister for Education
In office
1 July 2013 – 18 September 2013
Prime MinisterKevin Rudd
Preceded byPeter Garrett
Succeeded byChristopher Pyne
Minister for Workplace Relations
In office
14 December 2011 – 18 September 2013
Prime Minister
Preceded byChris Evans
Succeeded byEric Abetz
Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation
In office
14 September 2010 – 1 July 2013
Prime Minister
  • Julia Gillard
  • Kevin Rudd
Preceded byChris Bowen
Succeeded byDavid Bradbury
Assistant Treasurer of Australia
In office
14 September 2010 – 14 December 2011
Prime MinisterJulia Gillard
Preceded byNick Sherry
Succeeded byMark Arbib
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Maribyrnong
Assumed office
24 November 2007
Preceded byBob Sercombe
Personal details
Born (1967-05-12) 12 May 1967 (age 57)
Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia
Political partyLabor
Spouses
Debbie Beale
(m. 2000; div. 2008)
(m. 2009)
Children1
Relatives
Education
OccupationPolitician
ProfessionTrade unionist
Signature
Websitewww.billshorten.com.au
Military service
Allegiance Australia
Branch/serviceAustralian Army Reserve
Years of service1985–1986

William Richard Shorten (born 12 May 1967) is an Australian politician and former trade unionist serving as the current Minister for Government Services and Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme since 2022. Previously, Shorten was leader of the opposition and leader of the Labor Party (ALP) from 2013 to 2019. A member of parliament (MP) for the division of Maribyrnong since 2007, Shorten also held several ministerial portfolios in the Gillard and Rudd governments from 2010 to 2013.

Born in Melbourne, Shorten studied law at Monash University. He worked in politics and in law before becoming an organiser with the Australian Workers' Union (AWU) in 1994. He was elected state secretary of the Victorian Branch of the AWU in 1998 before becoming AWU national secretary in 2001. In this role, Shorten played a prominent role as a negotiator following the Beaconsfield Mine collapse in 2006, which first brought him to national prominence.

Shorten was elected to the House of Representatives at the 2007 federal election, winning the seat of Maribyrnong, before being immediately appointed a Parliamentary Secretary. Following the 2010 election, he was promoted to the cabinet, serving first as Assistant Treasurer, then as Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation and Minister for Workplace Relations in Julia Gillard's government. After Kevin Rudd replaced Gillard as prime minister in June 2013, Shorten was briefly Minister for Education until the Labor Party's defeat at the 2013 election.

After Rudd retired from politics, Shorten won a leadership election in October 2013 against Anthony Albanese, and became leader of the Labor Party. He led Labor to a narrow loss at the 2016 election and then led Labor to an unexpected defeat at the 2019 election, after which he announced his resignation as leader, with Albanese being elected unopposed to replace him.[1][2] Following Labor's victory at the 2022 election, Shorten was appointed as the Minister for Government Services and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Shorten is a senior figure within the Labor Right.[3]

In September 2024 Shorten announced his pending retirement from politics to become the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Canberra from February 2025.[4]

  1. ^ "Election 2019: Scott Morrison says 'I have always believed in miracles' as Coalition retains power". ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). 19 May 2019. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  2. ^ Worthington, Brett; Norman, Jane; Gothe-Snape, Jackson (19 May 2019). "Election 2019: Anthony Albanese to run for Labor leader, Tanya Plibersek 'considering' a tilt". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  3. ^ "Labor's new-look shadow ministry". SBS News. Special Broadcasting Service. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  4. ^ Truu, Maani (5 September 2024). "Former Labor leader Bill Shorten to announce retirement from politics". ABC News. Archived from the original on 5 September 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.