After touching on the topic of the reunification of the Parthenon Marbles at the Lonsdale Street Festival, federal opposition leader Bill Shorten has gone a step further and promised diplomatic assistance to Greece on the issue.

Mr Shorten said he would use Australia’s “close ties” with the United Kingdom to help the reunification talks go in Greece’s favour.

“Labor will, through our diplomacy, good offices and close ties with the United Kingdom, look to assist the Greek government in this respect,” he told Neos Kosmos.

Mr Shorten believes Australia’s experience in successfully securing the return of indigenous remains to the country will help the Greek government improve their case.

“As Australia has sought the return of the remains of indigenous Australians taken abroad we can fully appreciate the cultural significance placed on these objects by the Greek people and their desire to see them returned home.”

At last week’s Lonsdale Street Festival, Mr Shorten received the biggest applause when he passionately voiced his support of getting the Parthenon Marbles returned to their country of origin.

Currently Australian David Hill heads the International Association for the Reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures.

He, alongside famous international lawyers Geoffrey Robertson, Amal Clooney and Professor Norman Palmer visited Greece late last year to help the Greek government work on a legal case to get the marbles back home.