I can't say that I'm interested in Bill Shorten's mother or Scott Morrison's mother; and I believe that politicians' families should never be seen or mentioned, taunted or abused - because they have nothing to do with us.

However, if the politicians themselves introduce their own families to the scene, they really cannot complain if the nasties use them for political gain, or simply to be nasty.

Fooxy,

You said, "It's a shame that this election
campaign has become so nasty, especially the recent Daily
Telegraph's attacks on Mr Shorten's mother. Which was
disgraceful."

now you say, "The Daily Telegraph article slanted the story for their
own political ends".

Attacks versus slanted, which do you mean?

Is Mise,

The Daily Telegraph's story was not only factually
incorrect but immoral. Bill Shorten has often
referred touchingly to his mother Ann becoming
a lawyer later in life, in countless speeches.

It's simply untrue to say he has omitted facts from
her life story. Throughout his career Bill Shorten
has defined himself and his politics through his
mother - the story of a working-class women's
prodigious work ethic and determination to overcome
all odds - who sacrificed much to raise her family.

It was her experience that has inspired Shorten to
prevent others suffering the same fate. As he told
the Q & A audience - "What motivates me, if you
really want to know who Bill Shorten is: I can't
make it right for my mum but I can make it right for
everyone else."

The Daily Telegraph presents itself as the paper of
working-class battlers, but it made a serious
error of judgement in this matter.

Working-class Australians innately understand that political
attacks via a politician's deceased parent are out-of-bounds.
It is a matter of common decency.

It is telling that Melbourne's Herald-Sun chose not to
run the story. The Daily Telegraph should have issued
an immediate and unqualified apology.

Bill Shorten was rightfully upset when speaking about the
article at a press conference.

It might however turn out to be a significant own good
by the newspaper in question - humanising Shorten in the
process.

Paul,

I never realised that you were there and can vouch for the status of every person?

What is clear is that the Greens candidate was a foul mouthed bigot.

Foxy,

So Shorten gilded the lily when talking about his mother and got caught out.

cont'd ...

I forgot to add thatAnna Caldwell's article in The
Daily Telegraph completely missed the point of
Shorten's account, which is this, his mother had to
wait until her 50s to study and practice law on account
of her working class background and her gender.

How much further might she have progressed in the
profession had she graduated in the 1960s or 70s?
Her experience was what inspired Shorten to try to
prevent others suffering the same fate, as I stated
earlier - as he told the Q & A audience -
"What motivates me, if you really want to know who
Bill Shorten is: I can't make it right for my mum
but I can make it right for everyone else.

SM,

The only gilding that was done was by The Daily
Telegraph.

No surprises there. Common decency is not something
that this newspaper is familiar with - neither are
its supporters.