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Federal election 2019: Bill Shorten vows to bring National Jobs Summit to Perth

Phoebe WearneThe West Australian
VideoBill Shorten has addressed The West Australian’s Leadership Matters breakfast in Perth, pledging to set up a tribunal to make it easier for workers to claim unpaid wages

Bill Shorten has revealed he will hold a National Jobs Summit of business and union leaders in Perth next month if he wins Saturday’s federal election.

The Labor leader made the announcement at The West Australian’s Leadership Matters at Crown Casino on Wednesday morning as he made industrial relations a centrepiece of the final days of the campaign.

“What I like about (Paul) Keating and (Bob) Hawke is that they brought people together, so I want to make an announcement here today,” Mr Shorten said.

“If we win, my intention is that we will get business, unions, small business, all the points of view on productivity and workplace, in the same room at the same time.

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“It won’t be an accord, but in my experience you are far better off getting people of all sorts different points of view together in the same room.

“For six years we’ve been told – and this goes to the divisive point that (John) Howard was sort of mumbling (in today’s The West Australian) – (about) division.

“No one who knows me would know that was true. My whole outlook on life is about bringing people into the same room.

“We will do this in Perth. I intend to convene my first business, economic, employee relations gathering and we want to do it by early June. I’m going to get my skates on if we get elected.

“We will do it here in Perth and we’ll make sure the west is included as part of the national calendar of what we are doing.

“I’m going to be inviting business leaders, going to be inviting unions, going to be inviting small business – all of the various sectors to come together to see how can we do workplace relations better for everyone.

“And when we do that together, here’s my promise, we will do better than we are doing sitting in different rooms all throwing bricks at each other.”

Mr McGowan said the 83 days he had spent in WA since taking on the role of Opposition Leader had taught him that the west was “unique” and he was confident that his successful “pro-WA” partnership with Premier Mark McGowan would deliver for the State.

“The last thing you need is a wise man coming from the east, telling you what should happen and how it should happen,” Mr Shorten told the hundreds of West Australians gathered at Crown.

“And Mark’s advocacy I think does deserve some recognition.”

Mr Shorten, who was accompanied by his wife Chloe, shadow treasurer Chris Bowen and Labor frontbencher Penny Wong, doubled down on his claim that this weekend’s poll was a referendum on wages and cost of living.

But in a pitch to the business-friendly crowd, he argued that wage rises for workers was good for firms because it would boost consumption.

He pledged to invest in the efficiency of businesses and help them invest in cleaner technology to tackle climate change.

“It’s good for confidence,” he said.

“It is a rising tide that lifts all boats.”

Bill Shorten with Ryan Stokes at The West Australian’s Leadership Matters breakfast in Perth.
Camera IconBill Shorten with Ryan Stokes at The West Australian’s Leadership Matters breakfast in Perth. Credit: Ian Munro

Mr Shorten also attacked the Liberal Party’s preference deal with Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party, warning voters that elevating UAP and One Nation representatives into a position of power in the Senate could only result in a “Coalition of chaos”.

“It’s not where we need to go. People are looking for stability,” he said.

“We just need to start aiming up – not down.

“I don’t want to make Australia an international laughing stock – this is a test for all of us.”

Mr Shorten’s promise to head west in the early days of a new government confirms that he expects WA voters will play a key role in deciding the nation’s next prime minister on Saturday, with Labor fighting to seize four seats - Hasluck, Swan, Pearce and Stirling - from the Liberals.

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