Treasurer Chris Bowen believes Labor's decision to enter a minority government with the Greens was a mistake and says the party should in the future ''govern alone''.

''We should not enter into formal deals with other political parties,'' Mr Bowen told ABC television on Thursday night.

''We have a lot to offer with our policies and we shouldn't need the policies of the Greens . . . In future we should govern alone.''

Greens MP Adam Bandt told Fairfax Media on Friday that Mr Bowen's comments were ''a big stuff you'' to Australians who believed in sustainable growth and a more equal society.