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Opposition Leader Bill Shorten admits new Labor Party ad was not diverse enough

The Australian Labor Party’s Bill Shorten has admitted its latest campaign, which aimed to position the party as putting ‘Australians first’, should have been more diverse but has rejected the idea the ad featured too many white people.

Nine News Australia unveiled a sneak peak of the ad in its 6pm news last night, with reporter Charles Croucher describing it as “mixing patriotism with protectionism”.

The ad, which features Bill Shorten posing in front of ‘everyday’ Australians aimed to position the party as putting ‘Australians First’.

The ad’s lack of diversity – it features only one non-white person – was quickly picked up and scrutinised by the public and the media.

According to news.com.au, in a statement to reporters in Canberra this morning, Shorten said it was “rubbish” to suggest the ad contained too many white people but added: “I’m not in the ad making business … but I certainly think we need to encourage as much diversity as we can.

“I’ve had a look at the final production and I think we should have had more diversity in it and I will speak to the Labor Party about that,” he said.

He took to Twitter adding: “Some people have pointed out the lack of diversity in the ALP’s video about local jobs. Fair cop. A bad oversight that won’t happen again.”

Mumbrella has approached the Australian Labor Party for comment.

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