Kerri-Anne Kennerley unleashes on Bill Shorten

Kerri-Anne Kennerley launched a scathing attack on the Labor leader today, boldly declaring: ‘If Bill Shorten gets in, it’s the end of life as we know it.’

The Studio 10 host took aim at Labor policies on Wednesday morning – but was swiftly accused by the party of spreading ‘fake news.’

Her criticism appeared to take colleagues by surprise as Sarah Harris joked: ‘Tell us what you really think.’ 

Ms Kennerley’s spiel began during a discussion of a recent study which found that lower paid workers would be less than $1 per week better off under a Labor government

Kerri-Anne Kennerley attends the Sydney screening of Avengers: End Game at Hoyts Entertainment Quarter on April 23, 2019

Kerri-Anne Kennerley attends the Sydney screening of Avengers: End Game at Hoyts Entertainment Quarter on April 23, 2019 

Ms Kennerley’s spiel began during a discussion of a recent study which found that lower paid workers would be less than $1 per week better off under a Labor government.

The veteran host, 64, slammed Labor’s plan to set up a tax payer-funded National Gender Centre to support transgender people.

‘One thing I’m seriously outraged about, the millions and millions they’ll spend on a Gender Commission,’ Kennerley said. 

‘These kids out there who are gender confused, and there’s a percentage of people out there gender confused, they will put up this Commission and we, like Tasmania, will have a child and it won’t be male or female, it will be gender-free.

‘That’ll be national.’

Ms Kennerley was referring to Tasmania’s new policy of making gender optional on birth certificates – although Mr Shorten has said he will not implement this nationally.

She then claimed that parents would lose the right to decide their child’s gender – although there is nothing in Labor’s plans to suggest this would happen.

‘And if your child is confused, the rights of your child will go to them, you will have no rights as a parent,’ she said.

‘That child will go, ‘I want to be either a boy or girl, please give me whatever I need’ and you as a parent will have no choice.’  

In a later segment on the show, Ms Kennerly said she had been contacted by Labor and accused of spreading fake news.

She read out section of an email from Labor, saying: ‘Earlier this morning, Kerri-Anne… fake news on your program, Labor spending ‘millions and millions’ to set up a Gender Commission.’ 

The Studio 10 host made her voting intentions clear with an excoriating and somewhat confused attack on Labor policies

Bill Shorten made a pitch to big business in Perth on Wednesday, promising he would consider changes to workplace laws to allow long-term 'greenfields' bargaining

Bill Shorten made a pitch to big business in Perth on Wednesday, promising he would consider changes to workplace laws to allow long-term ‘greenfields’ bargaining

The email said Labor will not spend ‘millions and millions’ on the centre which will ‘provide awareness of transgender issues in the wider public.’

Ms Kennerly said she ‘stands corrected,’ but added: ‘Apparently they’re not spending millions and millions, because they haven’t costed it yet.’ 

The host also attacked Mr Shorten’s economic policies, including his proposed changes to the way profits from shares are taxed.

She admitted that she had to google what franking credits were but went on to criticise Mr Shorten’s planned changes to them anyway.

‘Taking money retrospectively, as they will do, that franking credits, I had to google that, this is the way (for) self-funded retirees not to leach off the government pension. 

‘They look after themselves. They’ve got a plan. He’s going to rip that off them.’

She also criticised Mr Shorten’s plan to remove tax breaks for property investors.

‘He’ll put in negative gearing… no more investment into houses so your rent will go up.’  

She also criticised Mr Shorten's plan to remove tax breaks for property investors (stock image)

She also criticised Mr Shorten’s plan to remove tax breaks for property investors (stock image)

Ms Kennerly went on to attack Labor’s plan to reduce the cost of cancer care as ‘all smoke and mirrors’.

‘Throwing money at cancer is just feeding the chooks,’ she said. ‘Don’t believe it. Dig a little deeper. Just dig a little deeper.

‘Anybody who believes they’ll be better off if Shorten and the Greens get in is under some whoopy-do cloud. It will never, ever happen. You will tank.’ 

Her attack came as Mr Shorten, who is favourite to be Australia’s next PM, made a pitch to big business in Perth, promising he would consider changes to workplace laws to allow long-term ‘greenfields’ bargaining.

He said massive projects which are expected to last beyond three years would fall under the plan.

The proposal would benefit major resources efforts, with Western Australia the key beneficiary.

The Labor leader said he wanted to deliver ‘win-win’ outcomes for business and workers.

Mr Shorten, who is a former Australian Workers’ Union national secretary, reflected on his negotiating experience.

‘I’ve spent my adult lifetime negotiating and delivering win-win outcomes for employees and employers,’ he told business leaders.

‘I also understand that achieving win-win outcomes is only possible when everyone plays by the same rules.’

While not backing away from describing Saturday’s election as a referendum on wages and the cost of living, Mr Shorten said he wanted to bring unions and business to the table.

Australian Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and his wife Chloe are seen after attending the 'Leadership Matters' breakfast event at Crown Towers in Perth

Australian Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and his wife Chloe are seen after attending the ‘Leadership Matters’ breakfast event at Crown Towers in Perth

‘I think this country works best when we work together,’ he said.

He said modest wage rises would help the overall economy, noting the current rate of zero per cent inflation was unhealthy.

‘An anorexic economy is not the shape of a healthy economy.’

Mr Shorten said average wage rises under the coalition had been 2.2 per cent, while under Labor governments pay had gone up 3.6 per cent.

‘That doesn’t mean the sky is going to fall in,’ he said, stressing the average was not his nominated number on wages growth.

Mr Shorten said controversial businessman and Senate candidate Clive Palmer played ‘fast and loose’ with the rules.

‘Thanks to the preference deal he’s done with Scott Morrison, Clive Palmer can turn up on day one with a political IOU almost as big as his ego,’ the opposition leader said.

He committed to holding a summit between unions and big and small business in Perth in early June.   

Australian Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, his wife Chloe, shadow Foreign Minister Penny Wong and shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen arrive for the 'Leadership Matters' breakfast

Australian Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, his wife Chloe, shadow Foreign Minister Penny Wong and shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen arrive for the ‘Leadership Matters’ breakfast 

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