Shorten’s rogue quip sends Karl into hysterics

Bill Shorten and Peter Dutton have brought their regular Today slot to a hysteric end after years of taking shots at each other on the morning show, with the retiring Labor politician sparking laughs with a rogue comment.

Appearing together from Parliament House on Friday, host Karl Stefanovic coaxed the longtime political rivals into an awkward hug while trying to get them to be nice to each other.

“Pete, would you like to say something nice about Bill ahead of Christmas?” Stefanovic asked the Opposition Leader.

“Well, I was about to say how good Bill’s looking this morning,” Mr Dutton replied.

The retiring Labor minister took the compliment, saying, “Yeah, well, not too dusty.”

But just as Mr Shorten let his guard down, Mr Dutton went in for a surprise jab.

“Side on not as good as the front-on shot, so I just want to share that,” Mr Dutton said.

Stefanovic intervened in the exchange.

“I’ve got an idea,” he told the bickering senior MPs.

“Hug it out, guys. Hug it out. It’s Christmas.”

The pair embraced each other with what appeared to be trepidation, with Mr Dutton himself commenting on how awkward it looked.

“Was that the most awkward hug ever?” he said.

Indeed, the hug was not up Stefanovic’s standard, as he requested a do-over.

“Come on, hug with gusto,” he said.

“Come in, come in, come in,” Mr Dutton told his co-guest as they went back in for another try.

The second attempt was far more convincing, but a quip from Mr Shorten sparked raucous laughter from Stefanovic.

“Like a pair of guys who walked into the wrong bar in Oxford St,” the former Labor leader said.

Mr Shorten is set to retire from politics in February next year after 17 years in the House of Representatives.

He will take up the vice-chancellorship at Canberra University.