In 1990, when Shorten was twenty-three, the Young Labor group he led, Network, decided to take over the Australian Theatrical & Amusement Employees Association, a left-wing union. It represented employees at entertainment venues around the state, from the Arts Centre to the Ballarat Greyhound Racing Track. Network’s plan was to put ‘sleeper’ operatives into jobs that allowed them to become union members. They would surprise the union’s elected officials by standing against them at an election in twelve months’ time. The union would become Network’s powerbase, and eventually help it take
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