IT might not be an issue to excite the voters, but Bill Shorten’s push for fixed four-year terms in federal parliament certainly warrants further discussion.
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Fixed four-year terms are already a reality in the majority of states and the Labor Party has listed the issue on its official policy platform.
And while Mr Shorten has previously said it was not a priority for his party at this stage, that all changed at the weekend when he chose to put the issue front and centre during media interviews.
The change to fixed four-year terms would need to go to a referendum and, to have any chance of success, would certainly need bipartisan support.
But the early indications are good.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has already held discussions with Mr Shorten about the proposal and sees some merit.
Under the current system, federal elections must be held within three years of a new parliament's first sitting. However, prime ministers have the power to call an early election at virtually any time, giving them the power to manipulate election timing for their own political gain.
Supporters of the change have long argued that fixed four-year terms would give governments more time to find their feet and keep them focused on governing rather than preparing for the next election.
Perhaps the real attraction for Mr Turnbull, though, is that fixed terms might serve to take away some of the incredible power of opinion polls in federal politics.
Too much time and energy in Australian politics is spent dissecting the supposed lessons to come from the latest opinion poll, creating a pressured environment for politicians that focuses on short-term fixes rather than long-term solutions.
The constant preferred leader polls also encourage political parties to get bogged down with internal squabbling rather than governing the nation, particularly when they might be preparing for an election to be called at any moment.
But critics say of fixed terms say they would increase the chance of the nation getting stuck for longer with bad governments.
NSW saw just that with the final term of the last Labor Government but voters must also take responsibility for the governments they elect.
Overall, though, fixed four-year terms have proved a success for the states.
The time has come to make them a reality in the federal sphere.
