Federal politicians say they do not think a formal code of conduct for MPs would improve behaviour.

The saga surrounding now-independent MP Craig Thomson and Speaker Peter Slipper has renewed focus on the standards of parliamentarians.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard says she is happy to discuss a formal code of conduct for MPs, but she already promised to do that as part of the agreements Labor signed in 2010 to form government, and there has been little progress since a draft was issued last year.

The Opposition's shadow attorney-general, George Brandis, says constitutional change is not appropriate or necessary.

"I think that if we want to raise parliamentary standards as everyone does, then the starting point is for members of Parliament to improve their own behaviour," he said.

"You don't need to change the law or even ... the constitution to do that, members of Parliament simply have to make a conscious decision to conduct themselves appropriately."

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Independent Senator Nick Xenophon says he is not sure a code of conduct would change behaviour of parliamentarians.

"Look, it might work but the fact that there's so much sound and fury about a code of conduct now just shows how much on the nose politicians are with the Australian public," he said.

"Ultimately this is a case of common sense. The best integrity commissioners are the Australian public and a robust media, and I think the fact that we've come to this indicates how the system is broken and how politicians are held in such low regard by the entire community."

A House of Representatives Committee put forward a draft code last year, but the Government is waiting for the corresponding Senate inquiry to finish its work before responding.

It was due to report last week, but has delayed its reporting date until the end of November.

Senator Xenophon says the establishing of a code of conduct and a parliamentary integrity commissioner will make little difference.

"I'm just worried that this just could be another layer of bureaucracy," he said.

"People don't need a code of conduct on how to breathe, really we shouldn't need a code of conduct on how to behave decently, but clearly we're not and that's why it's come to this.

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"I just think it shows a failure of this current Parliament and in fact previous parliaments in how to behave decently."

Meanwhile, independent MPs Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott have been discussing ways to broaden the criteria for disqualifying an MP or Senator from Parliament.

Currently someone must be bankrupt or convicted of a criminal offence and jailed for a year or more.

"Given the furore on this issue, particularly from the Coalition, maybe it's time that the Parliament actually looked at what it can in fact do if people are found guilty of both civil and or criminal offences," Mr Windsor said.

"That might require either legislative change or change of a constitution by way of referendum."