Dastyari slams 'black Wiggle' Di Natale

The Senate has erupted into a fight over who is more progressive - Labor, or the newest honorary member of The Wiggles.

The insults and fiery exchanges continued in the upper house on Wednesday over controversial changes to the way Australians elect senators, which Labor and most of the cross bench oppose.

The Greens ordered Labor to snap out of it and focus on winning the next election rather than getting hysterical over the proposed changes.

Labor frontbencher Sam Dastyari took aim at Greens leader Richard Di Natale's recent photo shoot for GQ magazine - and the black turtleneck that's since launched a thousand jokes.

In the "mating ritual dance" the government and Greens were engaged in, he expected the Liberal party to veer to the left of politics.

"I thought we were going to stand up in this chamber one day and (conservative Liberal) Senator Eric Abetz was going to walk in wearing his hemp suit and thongs and start singing Kumbaya.

"Instead, what we have is the leader of the Greens political party doing fashion shoots like the black Wiggle in GQ magazine."

The Greens leader was dressed up "like the cat burglar of Australian politics", advertising high-end clothing worth more than $5000 while pretending to represent the working poor.

Greens senator Scott Ludlam said his party had faced "self-interested hysteria and outright weirdness" over its support for the changes.

Labor had abandoned two generations of progressive voters and should focus on trying to win the next election.

"The Labor party's entire strategy for opposing this reform that you have conveniently forgotten you agreed with until five minutes ago has been premised on losing the next election.

"Get in the fight or get in the bin."

Crossbench senators Jacqui Lambie and Bob Day warned the changes could be challenged in the High Court.

"What a sad day this is for over three million Australian voters when the Liberals, Nationals and Greens go into a room, lock the door and emerge with this constitutionally-flawed secret little deal which they will rush through this Senate," Senator Lambie said.