William Richard Shorten (born 12 May 1967) is an Australian former politician and trade unionist. He was the leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and Leader of the Opposition from 2013 to 2019. He also served as a cabinet minister in the Gillard (2011–2013), Rudd (2013) and Albanese governments (2022–2025).
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. During his time as a minister, Shorten was instrumental in the creation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
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. Following Labor's victory at the 2022 election, Shorten was appointed as the Minister for Government Services and for the NDIS. Shorten is a senior figure within the Labor Right. He is considered a moderate member of the Labor Party.
Shorten retired from politics in January 2025 in order to take up an appointment as vice-chancellor of the University of Canberra from February 2025.
Lue lisää...12. toukokuuta 1967 oli perjantaina tähtimerkin ♉ alla. Se oli 131 päivä vuodesta. Yhdysvaltain presidentti oli Lyndon B. Johnson.
Jos olet syntynyt tänä päivänä, olet 58 vuotta vanha. Viimeisin syntymäpäiväsi oli maanantaina 12. toukokuuta 2025, 125 päivää sitten. Seuraava syntymäpäiväsi on tiistaina 12. toukokuuta 2026, 239 päivän kuluttua. Olet elänyt 21 310 päivää tai noin 511 449 tuntia tai noin 30 686 977 minuuttia tai noin 1 841 218 620 sekuntia.
Date: 12 May 1967
By DAMON STETSON
Damon STETSON
printers and Star-Journal talk; Powers urges broad study of automation problems; Star-Journal insists it needs concessions on automation now; comments on possibility of closing; Powers says ITU internatl exec J J Pilch will enter talks; Kheel hails Powers proposal; pressmen-Times talks recess
Date: 13 May 1967
Communist Chinese news agency Hsinhua protests alleged police suppression, charges 1 of its newsmen beaten by Brit police
Date: 12 May 1967
By PETER MILLONES
Peter MILLONES
750 ANG workers get over 1,500 job offers from various fields; many demand relocation; major problem is older workers; Time Inc weighs entering afternoon field
Date: 12 May 1967
Khalas and 2 eds sentenced to life imprisonment at hard labor
Date: 12 May 1967
Conn U Loeb Awards for business and financial writing to D R Francis (Christian Science Monitor) and M Ways (Fortune)
Date: 12 May 1967
Fed Dist Ct, Washington, rules Govt officials who write and deliver ss on own time can copyright them, 2d ruling in favor of Adm Rickover in Pub Affairs Press suit; case revd
Date: 12 May 1967
E E Ashury (NY Times) gets Sigma Delta Chi award for repts in Liuni case
Date: 12 May 1967
By ISADORE BARMASH
Isadore BARMASH
big NYC stores heavily solicited by magazines, suburban periodicals and other media since closing; seek to increase lineage in remaining papers; NY Times and News adjust schedules to handle additional ad; both confirm they may raise ad rates
Date: 13 May 1967