By Christine
TRADE unionist Bill Shorten has resigned as Victorian secretary of the Australian Workers Union in a bid to focus his attention on next year’s Federal election.
Mr Shorten said he would remain the national Australian Workers Union representative.
But he said there were two reasons why he was stepping down as state secretary.
“One is the Howard Government’s unfair industrial relations changes just require complete focus and what I am doing is getting another leader to step up in Victoria. He lives in Caroline Springs,” he said.
Mr Shorten was referring to Cesar Melhem his “loyal deputy”.
“I am hopefully going into Federal Parliament in 16 months time,” he said.
“Rather than just vacate and leave an empty office it’s better to work with him and that way the Victorian branch will have very steady stewardship.”
Mr Shorten said he would not be campaigning until after the state elections in November.
“I’m not campaigning to the point where I distract from the state election.
“I want to leave it to the state politicians to explain what they are doing and what they are going to do.”
Mr Shorten has been state secretary for the past eight years and national secretary for the past five years.
