Senators split over community service idea

Should young Australians be put to work in emergency services to boost the number of volunteers?

Senate crossbencher Jacqui Lambie is calling for a return to conscription to help tackle drought, fires and floods caused by climate change, but One Nation leader Pauline Hanson is against the idea.

"Don't head down this path," Senator Hanson told Nine's Today program on Monday.

"It all sounds good but you just can't go out and send people to do these volunteer jobs."

It wasn't a sense of charity towards young people fuelling the firebrand senator's reluctance to embrace the idea of compulsory national service.

"A lot of these kids can't even turn up for a job application or turn up to get a job," Senator Hanson said.

"It's going to be very hard to get them to do it because they know their rights. They're all taught about their rights at school. What about their rights?"