Campaign star performers, West Australians and more women including Clare O'Neil and Jenny McAllister are in the game to be elevated in the Albanese ministry amid Labor Party jockeying to reflect the election results.
A broader than expected shake-up to the frontbench is expected when the federal Labor caucus meets next Tuesday.
The new ministry will be sworn in by the Governor-General David Hurley the following day.
During the campaign, the now Prime Minister Anthony Albanese indicated, as is custom, that the Labor team would be in line to keep their portfolios if they won government, but the size of some of the shadow portfolios alone means some are likely to be split - such as trade and resources.
The party is grappling with the loss of two senior women, through Kristina Keneally's botched attempt to move from the Senate to the House and Terri Butler's loss to the Greens in her inner-Brisbane seat of Griffith.
The new Albanese ministry is also expected to reflect the strong weekend showing in the west. If the ALP achieves the 76 seats needed for majority government, it will be thanks to a swing to the ALP in Western Australia of about 10 per cent.
Katy Gallagher is in line to add the public service ministry to her finance role, and has told The Canberra Times that she is keen.
"We just haven't had those discussions. I'm hoping that I will. I would like to be able to do it. I think it would be good again," she said.
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Labor factions will also guide the positioning, but after the seismic showing for independents and Mr Albanese's pledge to change the way politics is conducted, there is a strong argument for non-aligned talent such as Andrew Leigh. The former economics professor did the hard yards on prosecuting the government's failings on JobKeeper.
The electoral defeats of Ms Keneally and Ms Butler have opened the vacancies of home affairs and environment and water.
ALP sources say Employment Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles is widely expected to shift to defence, while housing spokesman and campaign star Jason Clare is tipped for a promotion along with Murray Watt and Ms O'Neil.
Mr Clare, the member for Blaxland, has been tipped for home affairs, but it is unlikely as it is a ministry he has held before in the Gillard and second Rudd governments.
Senator Watt, a Queenslander, is expected to be rewarded for strong performances in Senate estimates and for his campaigning over disaster recovery, while Ms O'Neil is tipped to be rewarded for clearly prosecuting the aged care crisis.
Sources say an increase in female representation is widely expected, including NSW senator Jenny McAllister possibly being elevated, along with boosts to the outer ministry with names circulating like Anika Wells and Kristy McBain.
After one term, both MPs have significantly increased the margins on formerly very marginal seats.