Kristina Keneally would be treated with respect if she were to fill the Senate vacancy created by Sam Dastyari's resignation, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says.
There's speculation the former NSW premier will take the seat after she lost the tough Bennelong by-election on Saturday, despite a two-party preferred swing of around five per cent swing to Labor.
Ms Keneally refused during the last week of the campaign to rule out an interest in replacing Senator Dastyari who announced his resignation last Tuesday.
"I am here running as a candidate for Bennelong, the only thing I've been offered by Bill Shorten is to be Labor's candidate for Bennelong," she said.
Senator Dastyari announced last week he would not return to Canberra nest year amid intense scrutiny of his involvement with a Chinese businessman who has made donations to both major political parties.
Others have said Ms Keneally would be a great asset for Labor in Canberra.
Mr Turnbull said the coalition would work respectfully with Ms Keneally like any other senator, which is how the government gets its legislation through.
"If the Labor party choose to send Kristina Keneally to Canberra, she will get the same respect as every Senator does," he told reporters at a Sunday press conference in Bennelong.
"Mutual respect - there should be more of it."
Ms Keneally early on Sunday morning thanked voters and campaign volunteers on social media, but did not appear publicly.
The casual vacancy created by Senator Dastyari's resignation will be filled by the Labor party, but has to be ratified by a sitting of the NSW parliament which won't happen until next year.
