Shorten pledges to work constructively

The people have spoken but Bill Shorten isn't sure what they've said.

But the Labor leader is sure his party has found its voice again.

He urged Australians to have patience as the result from Saturday's election is finalised.

"The public have spoken; I'm not sure who has finally won," Mr Shorten told reporters in Melbourne on Sunday, repeating his assertion the election showed Labor was back.

"People said three years ago that Labor was out for the count," he said.

"They said three weeks ago it was inevitable that Malcolm Turnbull would win the election."

Now the result is uncertain and a hung parliament is in the mix.

Mr Shorten spoke with some crossbenchers on Sunday about that possibility, but refused to say which ones.

"We want to make the 45th parliament work," he said.

"When I look at the crossbenchers, I'm sure they want to be constructive as well."

Australians wanted to see the parliament work and Labor would work with people with goodwill from "all political persuasions".

"If Malcolm Turnbull could go back to being the old Malcolm Turnbull and stand up on climate change, we could do a deal on climate change in very short time," Mr Shorten said.

"If Malcolm Turnbull would go back to being the old Malcolm Turnbull before he was hostage to the right wing of his party, we could sort out marriage equality within 100 days of this election."

Mr Shorten ruled out Labor forming any coalition or entering into an agreement with the Greens.

Although speculation has begun about the future of his leadership - which will be automatically spilled under Labor's rules if the party stays in opposition - Mr Shorten said he'd never been more certain of it.