Bill Shorten

The Honourable
Bill Shorten
MP
The Honourable Bill Shorten MP
	Shorten in 2021
Minister for Government Services
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; 1 June 2022
Prime Minister	Anthony Albanese
Preceded by	Linda Reynolds
Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; 1 June 2022
Prime Minister	Anthony Albanese
Preceded by	Linda Reynolds
20th Leader of the Labor Party
	In office; 13 October 2013 – 30 May 2019
Deputy	Tanya Plibersek
Preceded by	Kevin Rudd
Succeeded by	Anthony Albanese
Leader of the Opposition
	In office; 13 October 2013 – 30 May 2019
Prime Minister	Tony Abbott; Malcolm Turnbull; Scott Morrison;
Deputy	Tanya Plibersek
Preceded by	Chris Bowen (Interim)
Succeeded by	Anthony Albanese
Prime Minister
Previous offices 2010–⁠2013
Minister for Education
	In office; 1 July 2013 – 18 September 2013
Prime Minister	Kevin Rudd
Preceded by	Peter Garrett
Succeeded by	Christopher Pyne
Minister for Workplace Relations
	In office; 14 December 2011 – 18 September 2013
Prime Minister	Julia Gillard; Kevin Rudd;
Preceded by	Chris Evans
Succeeded by	Eric Abetz
Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation
	In office; 14 September 2010 – 1 July 2013
Prime Minister	Julia Gillard; Kevin Rudd;
Preceded by	Chris Bowen
Succeeded by	David Bradbury
Assistant Treasurer of Australia
	In office; 14 September 2010 – 14 December 2011
Prime Minister	Julia Gillard
Preceded by	Nick Sherry
Succeeded by	Mark Arbib
Member of the Australian Parliament; for Maribyrnong
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; 24 November 2007
Preceded by	Bob Sercombe
Personal details
Born	12 May 1967 (age 57); Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia
Political party	Labor
Spouses	; Debbie Beale (m. 2000; div. 2008) ; Chloe Bryce (m. 2009)
Children	1
Relatives	Michael Bryce; (father-in-law); Quentin Bryce; (mother-in-law);
Education	Monash University (BA, LLB); University of Melbourne (MBA);
Occupation	Politician
Profession	Trade unionist
Signature
Website	www.billshorten.com.au
Military service
Allegiance	Australia
Branch/service	Australian Army Reserve
Years of service	1985–1986

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]

^ "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.
^ 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.
^ "Labor's new-look shadow ministry". SBS News. Special Broadcasting Service. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
^ 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.

[:0-1] "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.

[Retirement-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.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]