Independent MP Helen Haines told parliament the government had failed Australians on integrity.

"The legislation of a federal integrity commission was a character test for this prime minister and he has failed," she said on Thursday.

Ms Haines said with so few sitting days left before the election, time had all but run out for the government to bring on a debate about her proposal.

But she says it is something she is never going to give up on.

"We want to see a better politics and we want to see a better democracy, a stronger democracy, and we want to work together to get this integrity commission done," she told reporters in Canberra.

Liberal backbencher Bridget Archer - who in 2021 crossed the floor to bring on debate on Ms Haines' proposal for the commission - says establishing an anti-corruption commission is one of the most important things the parliament could do.

"We must have a multi-partisan approach to this issue, we must not allow it to be lost in the politics," she said.

Her Liberal colleague John Alexander said the issue had been a political football for too long.

"We need a federal ICAC so we can take the first step to regain the respect of Australians to have confidence we are acting with the integrity they rightly expect from us," he said.

Mr Alexander, who is retiring at the 2022 election, told journalists there was not currently enough goodwill between the parties to initiate something that would serve everyone.

He said he has suggested Dr Haines lead a group of colleagues including Attorney-General Michaelia Cash, opposition spokesperson Mark Dreyfus and Ms Archer as well as lawyers to draft legislation as a starting point.

Mr Dreyfus told parliament Labor would establish a "powerful, transparent and independent national anti-corruption commission" as a priority if elected.

Australian Associated Press