Shorten softens in GST spat with state ALP

Federal Labor leader Bill Shorten is talking down the prospect of binding his state counterparts to opposition against changes to the GST.

South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill and NSW Labor leader Luke Foley have come under fire from federal colleagues for being open to an increase to the tax in order to fill funding shortfalls in education and health.

"I don't think we need to ban people or have an iron-clad position," Mr Shorten told reporters in Sydney on Friday.