Arguing Australia has too many elected representatives has been part of the nation’s political discourse forever.

Take this short poem printed in the Cessnock Express and Mining and Farming Representative from 1905, when the author “Steele Grey” took umbrage at plans to pay the state’s politicians.

“We have politicians weighty,
And we have, them tall and small,
But perhaps we’d get along as well,
If we had none at all.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese played down the prospect of making the parliament bigger during this term on Wednesday – but the idea has merit.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

While US President Donald Trump has recently ruminated that American voters might be open to a dictator, it’s pretty clear most Australians still want the right to vote on those who represent them at the local, state and federal levels.

Finding the right number, however, to do that representation is much more difficult.

Special Minister of State Don Farrell has brought the issue into focus by asking the parliamentary committee charged with reviewing the 2025 election to examine the number of federal MPs and fixed four-year terms.

The knee-jerk reaction of many will be like Steele Grey – why the hell would we want more MPs?

The most obvious reason is the pressure we’re........

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