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Federal election 2019: Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard appear together in show of support at Labor campaign launch

Phoebe WearneThe West Australian
VideoLast night Bill Shorten and Scott Morrison debated some of Australia’s biggest issues, with Bill Shorten being voted the winner.

Labor has officially launched its Federal election campaign, with Julia Gillard appearing side-by-side with Kevin Rudd in a show of support for Bill Shorten.

Two weeks out from polling day, Queenslander Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk opened the event at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre to applause from the Labor Party faithful.

She described the election as a contest between “our movement” and the Coalition “machine”, urging Queenslanders to reject the Morrison Government and far-right parties such as One Nation and Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party.

“Do you know what Bill does? He listens, he cares and then he leads,” Ms Palaszczuk said

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“He’s not perfect — he’s not a Queenslander — but he’s the next best thing. He’s married to one.”

Mr Rudd and Ms Gillard, who have not been seen together in public for years, joined former prime minister Paul Keating and Mr Shorten’s wife Chloe in the front row.

Confirming that Pat Dodson is being positioned to move into Mr Shorten’s cabinet as indigenous affairs minister if Labor is elected on May 18, the WA Labor senator followed Ms Palaszczuk with a speech about building a framework to empower First Nations people.

Senator Dodson flagged plans for a new relationship with indigenous Australians and fresh approach to reconciliation.

“We want to be the party of choice for First Nations people,” Senator Dodson declared.

Deputy Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek said the ALP was “united” and “brimming with ideas” while Prime Minister Scott Morrison was a “failed ad guy” and a “motor mouth running on empty”.

“There is only one way to end the chaos and end the cuts, and that’s vote Labor,” Ms Plibersek said.

Addressing the room, Ms Shorten joked about being referred to as her husband’s “feminist conscience” by Ms Plibersek and their date nights being interrupted by Mr Shorten quizzing waiters at restaurants about their wages.

She said Mr Shorten would support the “march of women to equality” and backed her husband to become the nation’s next prime minister.

Sharpening his pitch to voters at the launch, which put “strong, smart” women like Ms Plibersek and frontbencher Penny Wong front and centre, Mr Shorten promised to deliver real wage rises through “negotiation and cooperation” and properly fund schools and TAFEs.

The Opposition Leader warned his opponent could not promise stable government because he had already “taken himself hostage by Pauline Hanson and Palmer”.

And he argued the case for change, stressing the party’s promises on health, tax and action on climate change.

“Three more years of this coalition of chaos would mean more years of delay and denial on climate change,” Mr Shorten said.

“We’re choosing a real plan over petulant name calling and empty scare campaigns.

“We don’t want second prize for the Australian people.”

Mr Shorten left the room to Jimmy Barnes’ No Second Prize, shaking the hands of supporters as he walked through the crowd.

Former Labor prime minister Bob Hawke’s absence due to ill health was acknowledged by Mr Shorten, who told the audience: “Bob, we love you and in the next 13 days, we are going to do this for you”.

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