The former prime ministers did not address the room, although Mr Keating appeared on the ABC after the event and railed against the Coalition government as "policy deadbeats".
Bill Shorten welcomes former Labor PMs Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard and Paul Keating ahead of the launch.Mr Shorten made two new major promises in his speech, including a "new jobs tax cut" for businesses with annual turnover of less than $10 million that take on new employees who are under 25, over 55 or carers returning to the workforce.
This was designed to stop multinationals "treaty shopping" by funnelling "dodgy royalties" into tax havens such as the Cayman Islands, Mr Shorten said. The policy would apply to companies with global turnover above $1 billion and save the government $2.3 billion over a decade, he said.
Labor's official campaign launch began with a pitch from Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk that capitalised on lingering resentment of Campbell Newman's former Liberal National state government and urged Queenslanders to "vote them out" federally. The Coalition holds eight federal seats in the Sunshine State by a margin of 4 per cent or less.
michaelkoziol Ya'll got your brains down under.
michaelkoziol Climate has always changed. Climate policies in Australia make no difference.
michaelkoziol Where is your indepth examination, not fauning agreememt? Nothing's costed just a lot of 'trust me'.
michaelkoziol The indoctrination, the delusion, the sleight of hand. Hope they win, can’t wait to watch it skid and slide all over the place when they get in.
michaelkoziol We badly need a modern government willing to use our intellectual resources to prepare for a difficult future. Enough of evangelicals and ideological zealots trying to retard adaptation and progress.
michaelkoziol He got that right, who else on earth could come with a multi billion dollar policy that will destroy a country for nothing. 🥺
michaelkoziol What allot of crap! Words designed to deceive Australians.
michaelkoziol what about Adani Bill? he wanted emission cut but selling more coal at d same time Slimy politicians can not be trusted
michaelkoziol Question just in what way with any policy affect the climate. What more rain. Lower temperatures. Less climate extremes.
michaelkoziol At what cost Oh that’s right we don’t know!
michaelkoziol I thought it's the relentless spending, over taxing, Minority pandering and Union obeying commitment and actions!!!
michaelkoziol oh heaven help us.. he's still banging on about this. People are more concerned about the economy.. how does he propose to make a surplus? Increase jobs?
michaelkoziol That's fine but where are Labor's climate change policies? Shorten is all talk.