North Korea talks not a one-off: minister

The complete elimination of nuclear weapons in North Korea must be pursued in ongoing talks after next week's historic summit with the United States, Australia's defence minister believes.

Marise Payne says the government is cautiously optimistic about the talks on June 12 between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump in Singapore.

But Senator Payne said it was clear the meeting would be part of a process, and not a one-off.

"If we are to pursue denuclearisation on the peninsula, and that is certainly part of this conversation, then it has to be verifiable and it has to be completely eliminated," she told ABC radio on Tuesday, adding sanctions would continue as a deterrent.

Asked what he would like to see come from the Singapore meeting, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said, "Let's walk before we can run."

"I would like to see, and I think citizens around the world would like to see, the denuclearisation of North Korea and indeed the Korean Peninsula," Mr Shorten told reporters in Tasmania.

"There have been summits before, they've tended not to go anywhere, so it's a good sign when world leaders are talking to each other, but let's not put all our expectations on one meeting."