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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has expressed his scepticism that the Coalition will back his call for four-year terms.
Earlier today Albanese said Australia should consider changing to an electoral system where governments serve a four-year fixed term.
But such a change would require voters to back it in a referendum.
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"The Coalition always says at this stage in the cycle that they support referendums, then they don't," Albanese said.
"That happened in the 1980s in the Hawke government. Then after it was called, Peter Reith changed his mind."
"There's been a referendum tried twice on this very issue."
No referendum in Australian history has passed without the support of both the government and the opposition.
A referendum to create four-year fixed terms for the federal parliament was roundly rejected in 1988.
Yes received less than a third of the vote, with No winning nationally and in every state and territory.
Every state and territory government has four-year fixed terms, and Australia is unusually internationally for having three-year federal terms.
While the upcoming election has not been called, Albanese's event today in Cairns felt very much like a campaign stop.
Albanese spoke about alleviating the cost-of-living crisis, specifically when it came to energy costs and housing.
"This election in 2025 will be about my government prepared to commit to support people, to support cost-of-living pressures, but also building Australia's future," Albanese said.
"Peter Dutton with a plan of opposing all of our cost-of-living measures but also wanting to take Australia backwards."
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