Peter Garrett has been environment spokesman in opposition but after labor's big win he isn't saying whether he will take on that politically charged portfolio in Kevin Rudd's new Cabinet.

"I will serve in any capacity that Kevin and the party want me too," said the former rock star, environmentalist and indigenous rights activist.

Mr Garrett was the author of one of the few major gaffes by the ALP during the campaign when he was caught out saying that Labor would "change everything" once it got into power. He later said he had been joking.

Today, he was subdued about the future.

"The people spoke and that's what it all about," he told smh.com.au at a swimming carnival on Sydney's Coogee Beach in his electorate of Kingsford-Smith.

"It was remarkable day given that we had and extraordinary result ... It still hasn't completely sunk in."