NSW Right powerbroker Sam Dastyari, who has badged his state "fortress NSW" after slew of Coalition seats fell to Labor in Western Sydney, said his faction's numbers were firmly behind Mr Shorten.

"You know what they are doing today in a whole bunch of marginal seats, especially in what we are now calling `fortress New South Wales' - they are erecting statues to Bill Shorten," Senator Dastyari said.

Mr Shorten, who was warned in January that he would be replaced before the election if the polls did not improve, has won up to 17 seats to push the government towards minority status. Labor may yet be in a position to form its own minority government but this is considered less likely.

Strong union support

Mr Shorten, who thanked the unions among others for his win, said on Sunday he was going nowhere. Mr Albanese does not have strong union support.

"I have never been more confident of my support," Mr Shorten said.

"People said three years ago that Labor was out for the count. They said three weeks ago it was inevitable that Malcolm Turnbull would win the election. Some conservative columns were predicting a new era of Turnbull dominance.

"The Australian people have a different view and I will keep working hard with the Australian people as I have done in the past weeks and with my united team."


Under Labor's rules, the leadership is automatically thrown open in the event of a election loss. If Mr Shorten falls short of being able to form government after the final count, the position will be declared vacant. Unless someone challenges, Mr Shorten will keep the job unopposed.

The Labor leadership is decided by vote of the membership and a vote of the caucus. Each contributes 50 per cent to the outcome. One source said jockeying at this stage would only anger the caucus and the rank-and-file.

Other powerbrokers, including Kim Carr, who convenes the Left in Victoria, and Stephen Conroy, a leading figure in the Victorian Right, are behind Mr Shorten.

Mr Albanese belongs to the Left. His faction has a meeting scheduled for Thursday where the matter may be discussed.

Before the election , the rule of thumb being discussed was that if Labor;'s net seat gain was in single figures, Mr Shorten would be vulnerable. If the gains were in double figures, he would be okay.