Australia's parliament may expand as the government explores increasing the number of members of Parliament (MPs) and implementing fixed four-year terms. Special Minister of State Don Farrell has directed the parliament's joint committee on electoral matters to investigate these possibilities. The committee will assess whether more representatives are needed in the House of Representatives and the Senate. It will also consider moving to fixed election cycles instead of dates set by the prime minister.

Senator Farrell noted that the discussion is warranted due to Australia's growing population. He stated, "But the Australian people might say we don't want a bar of this, we're happy with the existing numbers of MPs, and that could be the end of it." The last significant increase in the number of MPs occurred in 1984, when Bob Hawke was prime minister. At that time, Australia's population was 16 million, with electorates averaging 75,000 voters. Today, the population has surged to 27 million, with projections of reaching 29 million by the next federal election in 2028. Each electorate now serves about 120,000 voters.

Farrell emphasized that MPs and their staff are facing increased workloads to serve their constituents. He remarked, "We don't have a particular number in mind. We've raised the issue for consideration, I think it's a worthy issue to consider and we've sent it off to the body that always examines this." He also mentioned that the political donation regulations reviewed by the committee in the last term were beneficial changes. However, he clarified that any increase in MPs would not necessarily be implemented before the next election.

The Coalition has expressed opposition to the proposal. James McGrath, the shadow special minister of state, criticized the government's focus on this issue. He stated, "I find it extraordinary that we are wasting taxpayer resources and time on this when the government should be focused on fixing the healthcare crisis, the cost-of-living crisis, and the self-made housing crisis currently crippling our economy and Australians."

Legislation can facilitate an increase in the number of MPs, but a significant expansion would require balancing the number of senators, as mandated by the constitution's "nexus" provision. This provision states that the number of MPs should be approximately double that of senators. Each state is guaranteed a minimum of five MPs. During the last parliamentary term, there was a recommendation to double the number of territory senators, which the government is keen to adopt.

The Australian Electoral Commission informed senators that it has not yet considered redrawing the electoral map. Commissioner Jeff Pope noted, "Of course, it would depend on what the number is for a new parliament. But it's possible that we may well need to do a redistribution for the six mainland states prior to any implementation." He added that this process would be a significant undertaking.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has shown support for four-year terms, similar to those in the states. However, implementing this change would require a referendum, which he has ruled out for this term following the unsuccessful Voice referendum. There is a possibility that the government could pursue fixed terms without a referendum by maintaining the current three-year term length, depending on advice from constitutional experts. The inquiry is expected to present its interim report by mid-2026, with hearings likely starting next week.