The citizens of Western Australia voted on Saturday at a half senate re-election.

As far as I can tell, even though his message did not get across, the Labor leader Bill Shorten campaigned by raising mostly issues such as education, health and job security.

These are themes that Bill Shorten has picked up again and again during his six months at the help of the ALP. He is making a consistent effort to present his own priorities to the public, but his message is not being heard.

What appears in the national media, as Labor issues and priorities for the new leadership, are the relationship of the party with the union movement, the opposition’s stand on the carbon tax, the mining tax, and the opposition reaction to the proposed changes to the Racial Discrimination Act.

As much as these issues are very important for the future of the ALP and for the country, they cannot be described as ‘bread and butter’ issues for the vast majority of the Australians. Job security, access to good health and education systems, affordable housing, and the existence of a social welfare system on the other hand, most certainly are.

The Coalition government and its media allies led by an interventionist and partisan News Corp, have every reason to narrow down the terms of political engagement. They have every reason to attempt to discredit good policies for the betterment of the lives of numerous Australians, such as affordable housing for the less fortunate or the rolling out of the National Broadband Network.

They discredit the implementation of key Labor policies in order to keep out of the public discourse, good middle-of-the-road ideas that might improve citizens’ lives, -ideas that might differentiate the conservatives from the progressives, and in turn, might help build winning electoral alliances for Labor. It is understandable that the Coalition and its allies do this.

The question is, what can Labor do to ensure that the parameters of the political discourse can be broadened, so that Australians can concentrate on issues that really affect their lives-and that will change political behaviours.

Firstly, some basic arguments of the Coalition and its supporter’s need to be neutralised.

The ALP, without denying its historical relationship with the union movement, does not have to be so organisationally attached to the movement.

When unions contribute less than 10 per cent of your funds and union membership is running below 20 per cent, then unions should no longer control 50 per cent of the party conferences, or determine pre-selection outcomes.

At this early stage of his leadership, and under these circumstances, Shorten can afford to give himself breathing space from the unions.

This is not an argument to abandon a close and much needed relationship with a once-powerful workers collective. This is an argument in support of modernisation and accountability to wider sections of society. The ALP needs to reach out politically and organisationally to new progressive collectives that share its overriding principles.

Secondly, Bill Shorten and the ALP need to defend the legacy of good labour policies of the past. For example, when 25 per cent of the population in this country are renters and house prices continue to sky rocket, you do not let The Australian discredit Rudd’s plan to provide affordable shelter for tens of thousands.

The ALP needs to preserve the hard core, the intentions, of key and recognisable policies of previous Labor governments, if the party is to avoid being forced into continually playing ‘away from home.’ Criticise the implementation if you must, but highlight the importance of the policy for the overall good.

Thirdly, Labor needs to raise a flag under which quite a few sectors of society may be willing to march, in a way that might create an electoral majority. The welfare of the huge Australian middle class can become this flag. Job security, education, health-these are issues that touch upon middle class needs and/ or aspirations of voters.

Finally, once principles, specific policies and priorities are adopted-and spelt out clearly- then they would need to be communicated. For this to happen, other avenues that go beyond parliament and the national media have to be explored.