Opposition Leader Bill Shorten Cleared Over Rape Claim

"There is no basis to the claims and the investigation is now closed by police."

Labor Leader Bill Shorten stunned Australian politics on Thursday by confirming he was being investigated over a rape claim dating back to when he was a 19-year-old.

ABC News

Mr Shorten, 47, told reporters in Melbourne the claim, originating on social media, related to an alleged incident when he was 19-years-old.

Victorian police last year launched an investigation into the events from the 1980s and have cleared Mr Shorten.

The alleged incident is reported to have occurred at a Labor camp at Geelong and was first raised when posted on Facebook after Mr Shorten was elected Opposition Leader last year. It had been reported in The Australian newspaper:

The Australian / Via theaustralian.com.au

"The police, the people best qualified to investigate, have done so and they have finished their work," said Mr Shorten, thanking his wife for standing by him while the matter was investigated.

The Opposition Leader took several questions from the media but insisted he would not be talking about the matter further, instead "drawing a line" under the whole matter.

Mr Shorten's full statement was also released to the media:

Political Alert @political_alert

Opposition Leader @billshortenmp statement on police investigation into rape allegations from the 1980's #auspol

05:25 AM - 21 Aug 2014