With the release of MYEFO earlier this week, Bill Shorten and Labor were wearing the two faces of Janus. For the cameras and the press gallery it was face of high dudgeon and confected outrage and indignation that the government had failed in their budget objectives and instead presided over a possible downgrading of Australia’s triple A credit rating. That hasn’t eventuated. Not this time at least.
Behind the scenes though, it would have been the other Janus face, the face of cork popping, hoopla and high fivin’ in celebration of the success of their strategy of obstruction and attrition over budget repair as they further develop their story board fantasy as responsible economic managers for the next election as opposed to the economic vandals and arsonists they have demonstrated themselves to be.