It's time again, Little Pattie says

Singer Little Pattie has invoked her famous campaign song for Gough Whitlam, telling Labor's national conference it's time the party won back power.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten led a tribute to the former prime minister, who died in October, by saying they could easily devote the entire three days to eulogising the great man.

"I'm not sure he'd complain!" he said.

Little Pattie said some people were trying to destroy reforms that went back to Mr Whitlam's era, but "this is the great Australian Labor Party and once again we say it's time".