Shorten coy on cuts for single parents

The opposition leader insists he is looking hard at the issue of welfare cuts to single parents which were brought in by the previous Labor government.

Labor's Cathy O'toole has secured the federal seat of Herbert. Source: AAP

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has stopped short of committing to reversing welfare cuts to single parents.

Under the previous Labor government thousands of single mums were moved off parenting payments and onto the unemployment benefit Newstart.

This left many of them now between $60 to $160 worse off a week.

Mr Shorten acknowledged Labor had made a mistake with the policy and had learnt a lesson.

"We are certainly looking very hard at that matter," Mr Shorten told ABC Radio on Tuesday afternoon.

"Single parents do need greater support if we are going to encourage them to participate in work."

Labor has flagged it will conduct a review into the adequacy Newstart if it wins government.