Bernardi bemoans major parties' lost votes

Conservative Liberal Cory Bernardi says Australians have voted that neither the coalition nor Labor are adequately reflecting the things that matter to them.

Senator Bernardi said the coalition needed to have a hard look at itself, going from a substantial majority in 2013 to now looking at being a minority government at best.

But asked if Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull should go, he said he wouldn't go down that path as a government led by Mr Turnbull was always going to be better than a government led by Bill Shorten.

He said the Liberal Party had lost about a million votes and Labor 500,000.

"The people of Australia have rendered their verdict that we are not adequately reflecting the things that matter to them and that's why ... we've both lost collectively across our parties 1.5 million votes and they've parked themselves with others," he told ABC television.

Senator Bernardi said there was a crisis of confidence with people not trusting politicians.

"They are suspicious of us and now they're starting to look at minor parties. I don't think that's healthy for the body politic," he said.