Labor plans constructive approach

Labor aims to be co-operative in the new parliament but leader Bill Shorten says the coalition's one-seat majority means it must get better at negotiating.

"When they had 90 seats in parliament and Labor had 55 they were pretty quick to give everyone a lecture about the way the world should be run," he told ABC radio on Tuesday.

Political trends around the world, shown in the Brexit vote and US presidential campaign, were for people to move to the extreme margins when they felt left behind by change, and Australian politicians need to make sure they listen to everyone.