Outgoing Labor MP Joel Fitzgibbon has called for greater freedom in the major political parties, saying strict party discipline is "strangling our democracy".
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Delivering his valedictory on Thursday, the member for Hunter also urged fellow parliamentarians to improve behaviour and eschew "stupid" practices in Federal Parliament, as he notes protests growing and Australians losing trust and confidence in representative democracy.
The former cabinet minister in the Rudd and Gillard governments is retiring from politics after 26 years in Federal Parliament, saying he leaves happy and on his own terms.
But he told parliament that with the world changing and people losing trust in the system, the parties and parliament must change.
"I might not be popular saying it, but I think party discipline is strangling our democracy," he said.
"I think community attitudes are changing so much, the world is changing so much. I think the major parties will be forced to ask themselves whether this strict discipline is sustainable."
Mr Fitzgibbon has spoken out many times against his own party on policy, particularly on climate and resources, and he told Parliament on Thursday that he has, on a rare occasion, voted for things he did not agree with.
"I think the Australian Labor Party possibly has the strictest party discipline in the world," he said.
In a speech delivered ahead of Liberal MP Bridget Archer and John Alexander standing with six crossbenchers on Thursday in support of a federal ICAC, the MP reflected on the five Liberal MPs who crossed the floor last week over the Religious Discrimination Bill. Mr Fitzgibbon said exercising a politician's conscience was difficult but it did not have to be.
"We all saw how traumatic that was for them, Mr Speaker, and we all know that they'll be reflecting today on whether that's ruined their prospects for advancement in this place," he told parliament
"And certainly it would have knocked it around. Everyone knows that. So yes, they might be a little less strict over that side, but it's pretty hard."
He also said he was listening to protests, which he said were "not new, but are on the rise".
"As I move around the country, I feel more and more people treating us with contempt, losing faith in us," he told parliament. "And there are many reasons for that, including the rise and rise of social media and other issues, most of which we can't do anything about."
But Mr Fitzgibbon said politicians could change behaviour and he used his final speech to urge reform, specifically in question time.
"This is a serious place," he said. "And we need to all work together to maintain the dignity of this place, and of course to respect and maintain its traditions and its norms and of course its standing orders."
"It is hard to change the culture in this place but we must try."
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He declared the planned and rehearsed questions usually from government benches are "ridiculous" and "not what our founding fathers intended".
"The thing we have to do is get rid of those stupid Dorothy Dixers," Mr Fitzgibbon told parliament.
"Is there anything else in this place that drags us down out there in the marketplace than Dorothy Dixers? I mean it is just ridiculous."
The MP suggests giving the opposition the first 10 questions and the government the next 10 and then he expects no one will stick around for the 11th question.
"And I think that in turn in time, Dorothy Dixers will change because what's the point if no one's listening?" he said.