Muir defends his place, criticises PM

Ricky Muir has defended his place in the Senate while lashing out at Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull for failing to negotiate with the crossbench.

The Motoring Enthusiast Party senator, who was elected with just 0.5 per cent of the primary vote at the 2013 election, said the government could have easily won over the diversity of views in the chamber with a bit of communication.

"(Mr Turnbull) talked the talk but for some reason can't walk the walk unless there's a selfie involved," Senator Muir told parliament on Thursday during debate on legislation changing the way Australians vote for the Senate.

Minor parties had kept the government and the opposition accountable, he said.

Senator Muir claims there are 13 senators in the chamber who were elected on "significantly less" of the primary vote than he had been.

The crossbench were there because sections of the public refused to back established parties, he said.

"If the major parties were passed in the pub test by the voters, I would still be blissfully disenfranchised by politics while milling timber in country Victoria," he said.

The system had been designed by major parties, to benefit major parties and the changes would strip democracy from the people, he said.

While pointing to a deal he secured to release children from asylum seeker detention on Christmas Island, Senator Muir said the public often remarked that he'd grown into his role.

"Thank God we have a diverse crossbench," he said.