NDIS Minister Bill Shorten has announced he will not stand for re-election next year.
The former Labor leader announced he will retire from politics in February 2025, taking up a role as vice-chancellor at the University of Canberra.
The shock announcement came on Thursday 5 September, just weeks after the government’s NDIS reforms passed Parliament.
Shorten told reporters he felt he was “one of the luckiest people in politics”.
“I think I am really lucky, I have had the chance to help create, defend and improve the NDIS, I have had the very privileged position to lead Labor, I have had the chance to help the victims of Robodebt,” he said.
Disability sector responds
In a statement, People with Disability Australia President Marayke Jonkers recognised Shorten’s work alongside the disability community.
“We have always welcomed the Minister’s willingness to engage and collaborate with the disability sector and our community. We have not always agreed but appreciate that there have been many times that the Minister has shown that he values the lived expertise of people with disability,” she said.
“It is our sincere hope that this commitment to collaboration continues and deepens with any Ministerial appointment to this portfolio in future.”
Disability sector advocate and co-founder at Developing Australian Communities, River Night, thanked Shorten for his service and reflected on the magnitude of his work including with the Disability Royal Commission and NDIS Review. He acknowledged that although some of Shorten’s work had been divisive, he had remained authentic throughout.
“Regardless of politics, belief in codesign really occurring or not, disagreements about legislation change and process, when it comes to his grassroots, face to face works with people, Mr Shorten is the most human Federal Minister we have seen in the NDIS to date and we thank him for that,” Night said.
“I for one will say I have never seen a Federal Minster so willing as Mr Shorten, to attend events, talk to people at the grassroots level in public and have personal, authentic conversations. I will forever be grateful for his authentic approach.
“I talk to and meet thousands of NDIS participants and providers all over Australia and we are all talking about and working on the announcements made and legislation passed through Mr Shorten’s efforts.”
Shorten will continue to hold the NDIS portfolio until his retirement next year.
The next Federal election is due to be held by May 2025.