Push to relocate Garden Island naval base

A crossbench senator has reopened the debate about the future of Sydney's Garden Island naval base.

Liberal Democrat David Leyonhjelm is calling for the base to be relocated south to Port Kembla to allow cruise ships to use the Sydney Harbor berths.

"Our tourism industry is going to be strangled if we don't do something ... billions of dollars are at stake," he told reporters in Canberra on Monday.

Independent Jacqui Lambie is open to debating a potential move, but north rather than south.

"We want to be very heavy when it comes to our military up the Top End so it is not exposed," she told reporters.