Bill Shorten has wanted to be the prime minister since he was a teenager. Yesterday he finally gave up that ambition, announcing his resignation from politics. Shorten spent almost two decades in parliament – rising to be opposition leader and contesting two elections, but never winning.

As an architect of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, his legacy is significant. But his political failures have also shaped the country in enduring ways.

The election was shaped by the character of two men. Its outcome shows us how the country reacts to insecurity, and what that means for change.