Labor has declared its double-header leadership ballot is here to stay, after Bill Shorten won the inaugural contest.
But they also acknowledged the party's rank and file, allowed a vote first time, might be disappointed with the result.
That's because the ALP's wider membership gave Anthony Albanese 60 per cent of their vote.
The caucus saw if differently, backing in Mr Shorten 55 votes to 31.
When the two two tallies were weighted against each other, Mr Shorten had 52 per cent of the vote.
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ALP national president Jenny McAllister insisted the 50-50 weighting was "right" when asked whether the membership should have more say.
"We might want to leave it for a while just as it is," she said after the vote was announced.
Interim leader Chris Bowen admitted the concept had its "detractors, knockers and sceptics" but had produced a "fantastic" outcome.
"I believe this process is here to stay," he said, adding Labor had the balance right.
But he hinted there might be some "tweaking" of the process as the party learns lessons from the historic ballot.
Ms McAllister expressed some concern the influence of "money politics" could be a problem in future ballots.
There were suggestions Mr Shorten, a former national secretary of the Australian Workers Union, had significant support from the trade union movement keen to preserve its influence over the parliamentary party.
Mr Bowen said both candidates spent roughly the same on their four-week campaigns.
The party hosted joint fund-raisers to help pay the expenses of both men as they travelled around the country to speak to members.
The next national conference of the ALP will discuss whether changes are needed to the process.
