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Former Labor Leader Bill Shorten to announce retirement from politics

Former Labor leader Bill Shorten is set to announce his retirement from politics.

It is expected he will make the announcement as a press conference in Canberra today alongside the Prime Minister according to Nine Media.

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Shorten first came to national prominence as the head of the Australian Worker’s Union, where he played a significant role in the Beaconsfield mine collapse in 2006.

He made the move to federal politics becoming the member for Maribyrnong the following year. Following the 2010 election he was appointed to cabinet serving as the Assistant Treasurer, and then the Minister for Financial Services and Minister for Workplace Relation in the Gillard government.

When Former PM Kevin Rudd returned for a second stint as Prime Minister, Shorten was the Minister for Education for a few months until the government’s defeat at the polls.

He served as Opposition leader from 2013 and 2019 failing twice to take Labor to election victory. After the Morrison government’s surprise win at the 2019 election he stepped down as leader.

Under the leadership of Anthony Albanese Shorten served as the Minister for Government Services and the NDIS, bringing in significant reforms to the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

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