Labor doesn't automatically block: Shorten

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten insists Labor is not automatically opposing every government policy.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has damned the opposition for standing in the way of legislation and wrecking the budget and economy.

Mr Shorten told reporters at a media conference to mark the end of the parliamentary year the opposition had taken its positions based on principle.

Labor had worked with the coalition to deliver new national security laws, a point acknowledged by Mr Abbott in his end-of-year speech to parliament.

"I don't accept that we're automatically opposing everything," Mr Shorten said in Canberra on Thursday.

"In terms of opposition of the budget, it really was an unfair budget.

"I think we reflect what the great mass of the Australian people think."

However, Labor had backed at least $20 billion in budget savings and offered to support other measures such as properly taxing multinational corporations.

Asked how Labor would repair the budget, Mr Shorten said the previous government had a solid record such as means testing the private health insurance rebate.