Please Enjoy This Video Of Bill Shorten Calling Cory Bernardi A “Homophobe” To His Face

Opposition Leader and Milky Bar Kid Bill Shorten has found something resembling a groove in the last couple of weeks. Labor’s newly-released policies on cutting negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions have left the government floundering for a response, and with Labor and the Liberals neck-and-neck in the latest polls the shine seems to have come off Malcolm Turnbull’s Prime Ministership less than six months after he took the top job.

Thanks to Turnbull’s decision yesterday to investigate the Safe Schools Coalition program, Labor have yet another stick to beat the Coalition with. The Safe Schools program has been the target of weeks of hysterical attacks from conservative quarters, with Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi claiming it amounted to “a social engineering agenda” designed to foist gay propaganda on schoolkids.

Labor have already seized on the investigation as proof Turnbull values the conservative voices in his own party above the safety and wellbeing of vulnerable LGBTI young people. That was the line Shorten was running in a Parliament House press conference this morning, when Bernardi himself happened to walk past the bank of cameras and reporters.

Seemingly in a fighting mood, Bernardi tried to hijack Shorten’s conference, calling out: “At least I’m honest, Bill. You’re a fraud, mate.”

Given Shorten’s historical vibe of being the kid in the playground constantly getting hit in the face with his own hands by the school bully, his surprisingly robust response to Bernardi’s jibe was kind of like watching that kid finally stand up to his tormenter.

Investigation into program helping LGBTI school students starts a fight with @billshortenmp and Bernardi. #auspol pic.twitter.com/vDI07lyQ5H

— David Sharaz (@DavidSharaz) February 23, 2016

Look out, world. Tiny Bill ate his Weetbix this morning.

Now look, this doesn’t magically turn Shorten into some kind of hero. He still supports sending LGBTI refugees to countries where homosexuality is illegal, and the Labor Party still doesn’t support a binding vote on marriage equality. But it is kind of nice to see the Milhouse of Australian politics get a win every now and then. Go get ’em, little buddy.