It's always about Malcolm only: Shorten

Federal Labor leader Bill Shorten has ridiculed Malcolm Turnbull's elevation to prime minister.

"This country needs no more showmen, it actually just needs substance," the opposition leader told the Labor caucus in Canberra on Tuesday.

"Australians understand that the thing about Malcolm is it's always about Malcolm."

What the country needed was a new direction not just a new salesman, Mr Shorten said.

Liberal MPs had panicked because they knew their sterile philosophy of dividing the community had gone down poorly with voters, he said.

"They leave it to the market and not worry about any individual, not worry about people, leave them behind."