In a fiery rant to the Senate, Coalition Senator Ian Macdonald slams Australians who 'complain a lot but never offer themselves for election' as he defended travel perks for retired politicians.

The Liberal Senator also warned Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull he is 'sadly mistaken' if he thinks he will get more votes by axing the Life Gold Travel Pass for retired politicians.

'If you think going along with this populist approach on this issue is going to win you just one vote - you are sadly mistaken,' he said in parliament on Thursday.

In a fiery rant to the Senate, Coalition Senator Ian Macdonald slams Australians who 'complain a lot but never offer themselves for election'

Senator Macdonald said he feared for the future of Australia if is was run by 'what is popular rather than what is right'.

'Perhaps Hitler and Stalin or Idi Amin had the right idea: do not bother about a parliament and you do not have to bother about those pesky parliamentarians at all,' The Herald Sun reports.

He also targeted 'a small section of the community' who were willing to complain about how Australia is run, but unwilling to fill the shoes of politicians.

'They have never had the energy, the dedication and the commitment to do the hard yards and get elected in the first place,' he ranted.

'Then do that work for something less than $50 an hour for all hours of the day and night, often at least six days a week, often for up to 48 weeks a year, in a job where there is no privacy, no down time.'

Senator Macdonald said he feared for the future of Australia if is was run by 'what is popular rather than what is right'

The Liberal Senator said Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (pictured) that he is 'sadly mistaken' if he thinks he will get more votes by axing the Life Gold Travel Pass

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull during Question Time in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra on Thursday

Senator MacDonald also defended of the Life Gold Pass for retired politicians, saying he would never benefit from the travel perk as he would never retire

Senator MacDonald also defended of the Life Gold Pass for retired politicians, saying he would never benefit from the travel perk as he would never retire.

'I’ll probably be carried out of here in a pine box,” he said.

The Life Gold Pass for federal MPs could be axed.

Senator Macdonald insists he opposes the change because of its retrospective nature, claiming he would have voted against the government's retrospective superannuation changes if they had not been amended.

'I'm distressed that my party in this particular instance has ignored the basic principle of our party,' he said.

'In the context of a government which every year spends upwards of $300 billion, the savings from retrospective cancellation of this benefit for elderly retired politicians is not going to make one iota of difference to the budget.'

Senator Macdonald will support parts of the bill that are prospective and move amendments to remove the retrospective elements.

If that fails, he will move to include all former MPs in the ban, including prime ministers.

'I can't fathom the logic behind allowing Julia Gillard, perhaps Australia's worst prime minister for a three-year term, to have a gold pass for the rest of her life while someone like Peter Costello ... is banned,' Senator Macdonald said.