The paper identifies 11 major reforms that would improve parliamentary debate, government accountability and openness, and the operation of integrity institutions. The first three reforms would improve the deliberations of the 48th Parliament of Australia and make other reforms more achievable. 

The author proposes that these reforms be agreed to at the beginning of the 48th Parliament, potentially during negotiations between the crossbench and the major parties in the event of a power-sharing parliament in which no one party wins a majority of seats.

Reform-minded parliamentarians can choose from a range of measures that would make government more accountable, ensure public money is better spent and help Parliament operate more smoothly and justly.

Proposed reforms

1. Adopting Senate innovations in the House of Representatives
2. Set parliamentarians’ staffing allowance independently
3. Fixed three-year terms
4. Parliamentary support and empowering and protecting the integrity branch of government
5. Open government
6. Whistleblower protections
7. National Anti-Corruption Commission
8. Truth in political advertising laws
9. Freedom of information laws
10. Increasing the number of parliamentarians
11. Political finance reform