A senior Labor frontbencher says he was unaware former opposition leader Bill Shorten urged the party to help him soften his image during the election campaign but was rebuffed by his colleagues.

The Weekend Australian newspaper reports Mr Shorten's cry for help was one of several disagreements between the leader and the party during the election Labor was widely expected to win.

Opposition climate change spokesman and former national president of the Australian Labor Party Mark Butler said he wasn't part of those discussions.

"I don't know the answer to that question," he told reporters in Adelaide on Saturday when asked about the article.

The newspaper claims Labor's review of the election campaign will show it was dogged by poor organisation, confusing messages, unpopular policies, defective advertising and Mr Shorten's unpopularity.

Mr Butler said the review is being overseen by former South Australia premier Jay Weatherill and former Labor cabinet minister Craig Emerson.

He said he understands it is approaching its conclusion and will be delivered in "coming weeks".

Quizzed again on the newspaper article, Mr Butler said: "I don't think it's valuable or constructive for anyone to seek to pre-empt the process of the review and the conclusions of the reviewers."