The next time that Bill Shorten, Australia’s Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, sits down for an interview he will probably review whatever the party line is before answering questions.

Australia is in the midst of a serious political scandal that alleges that the Speaker of the Parliament is guilty of sexual harassment. Prime Minister Julia Gillard addressed the matter publicly. Unfortunately, Shorten doesn’t know what she said. As a dutiful follower of the Prime Minister, Shorten supports her and stated so in the interview. Shorten is then pressed by the interviewer on how he can back the Prime Minister when he doesn’t know what she said. Not a problem says Shorten. He just knows that she handled it well so he supports that. Back and forth the two go with Shorten looking more and more like a mindless party hack.