It matters that only 1/3 of Labour's membership voted for Shorten.

Particularly because 'Showbag Bill', the nick the media says that Shorten's 'many enemies' call him, is there only by the grace of the vacillators in Caucus who now look to their reward (or punishment) for their preferences. Long memories in unions and Labor.

There will be very tough days ahead as Abbott runs a 'no surprises' and 'no feeding the chooks every 24 hours to provide headlines' government.

It is a fact that business and consumer confidence picked up when Abbott was elected and that looks like continuing. Business and consumers do not want the excitement of decisions on the run, which is what they got with newsworthy Rudd and Julia Whatshername (you know, the one who was more politically red than her hair colour, but sure likes the golden handshake from the taxpayers).

My apologies for the earlier error in my
previous post regarding the statistical
breakdown - it was Bill Shorten who got
40.08 per cent of the ALP Membership votes
whereas Anthony Albanese received 59.92 per cent.
Bill Shorten received 63.95 per cent of the
Caucus votes and Anthony Albanese received 36.05
percent. The overall vote resulted in Bill Shorten
at 52.02 per cent and Anthony Albanese at 47.98 per cent.

As I stated earlier it shows that both men are
popular but Shorten a little more with the Caucus
which is what counts in the end since the Caucus knows
and works directly with the candidates.

What happens next? - only time will tell. And it will
be interesting to see how favourably (or not)
the voters react to
Bill Shorten (and possibly Tania Plibersek) over Tony
Abbott and Warren Truss and whose approval ratings will
rise or fall.

We can only hope that the political
scenario in this country will not be a repeat of what
we've seen over these recent years. Where the
mentality of "whatever it takes" to win - seemed to prevail.
And also let us hope that Labor in Opposition
will not be as destructive as their opponents were.

how can anyone with half a brain describe this leadership process as 'democratic' .. when 1 caucus vote is equivalent to 380 party member votes ?

in a REAL election .. both caucus and public get votes of the same value ... for who will govern

how will Shorten actually get elected by the public .. when he clearly does not have the support of even a majority of Labor party members ?

Ludwig please understand I regard you as a good bloke.
And for the most part support your view we need not grow forever, and that the tipping point may be behind us.
To claim Bills biggest problem is population growth is folly.
Make no mistake at this time *every partyis pushing for a bigger Australia*
The election was open 9nly to Labors members and its *owners*/caucus, note that *thing*Conroy a close friend of Shorten has returned.
These two are the faction heads of the Victorian right.
Bless Tania, for yes time and events have changed my view,she comes from the side you can trust in Labor.
Bill is every bit as Brilliant as I have said.
I question if he is as committed to reform as he must be.
To reform Labor should!.
Give members the right to cross the floor, not having that simple right gave the filth in NSW Solidarity a cheapened smelly word now, to continue to nearly mortally hurt us all.
Let members have a say in electing senators, members always not the star/mate of the leadership team.
And stop the true rubbish coming from a man who never should be in ALP ranks the truly rank and vile Conroy, we never had a voice in this symbolical farce and Conroy a power broker and nothing else wants to take that away!
I hold, many in my party hold a far lessor opinion of Conroy than any person in any party bar the now gone Mirabela

Dear Belly,

I like this statement from Bill Shorten:

"Going forward in the Labor Party you will see
less discussions of personalities and who supports
what personalities and more of what are the ideas
that make Labor relevant to the future of Australians."

Yay!

"Hard work and having good things to say about people
rather than negative things in the long run pays off."

Double Yay!

Paul1405 mate! what have I done to deserve that!
Please let me swallow my pain and contempt for my partys smack in the face.
Use greens way? look my good sparing partner at what it produced as a leader.
Well noway around it some just do not understand the man, some do, only too well.
Bill Shorten is a Brilliant man,and has been tagged as a future Prime Minister from his first days in the union movement.
He proved his strength and ability's by stopping the Australian Workers Union, his now power bast, imploding, only he kept it alive.
He will be *loved* I once thought of him as God.
I still know he is going to be the same man brilliant.
But too I know the party,s knows, he knifed Rudd, a man who should walk away now from Federal politics.
And for some supported Gillard for far too long.
Then knifed her.
If, and we will, we are to put the three years behind us Bill must confront the caucus and ask himself this.
Has he the guts to big our best ever leader?
Can he transform the section of our party that is a dumping ground for mates and ex union heads.
Give us a true voice and true power.
And bloke, you may well have been well educated but this member who passed in emptying rubbish bins and picking free school milk bottles after use tells you this
*Bloke before you champion seats for short females with one eye know the ability of the candidate is first and only measure*
Your silly holding seats for gays is offensive to even them we know even if you wish we did not you risk loss over all of votes for making fun of our party.
Warts and all my opinion will be on if you do fold to the caucus or confront them on behalf of rank and file give us a real vote.