Lib wants referendum on parliament terms

A Liberal backbencher is calling for fixed four-year terms for federal parliament, insisting allowing prime ministers to decide when elections are held creates needless uncertainty for the economy.

David Coleman wants a referendum on the matter, arguing the existing system makes it difficult for governments to get things done while uncertain election dates hurt business and consumer confidence.

"This issue is one of the key pieces of unfinished business in our democracy," he writes in Fairfax newspapers on Thursday.

Labor frontbencher Nick Champion said the proposal was an attempt to distract voters from Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's narrow election win.

"One suspects it's part of the fairy floss that's being rolled out there to get people talking about anything other than the prime minister's disastrous tactics," he told Sky News.