Tuhia he tomokanga mo tenei pene - I whanau a Shorten i te 12 o Mei 1967 i te Whare Hauora o St Vincent, Melbourne, te tama a Ann Rosemary (née McGrath) me William Robert Shorten. He teina māhanga tana, ko Robert. E ai ki tētahi tauākī i hoatu i te wā o te tauwhāiti takirua o te tau 2017-18
I noho a Shorten i te mana whenua o Ingarangi tae noa ki te tau 2006, i te wa i whakarerea ai e ia kia eke ki te whare paremata.