Mr Ward made the calls after a double dissolution election called by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull which has left the nation facing the prospect of more political uncertainty.

“What I’ve observed at a federal level is governments, regardless of their political flavour, spend the first year-and-a-half implementing election promises and the last year-and-a-half campaigning,” Mr Ward said.

“At a state level we don’t have the games being played around elections being called and their timing, which provides for more stable government and certainty for the community.

“I know in particular the business community appreciates having the uncertainty removed and I think the nation would benefit from a more certain and stable government. Of all the jurisdictions in the nation, only two do not have fixed terms.’’

The NSW Government introduced four-year terms in 1995. Those four-year terms can only be stopped if the governor believes the government has acted illegally or the government itself loses control of the lower house.

Mr Ward said the current three-year term leaves “no appetite for brave reform at a Federal level”.

“No-one truly appreciates the fullest extent of the government’s reform agenda and they become reform shy,” Mr Ward said.

“If people could see governments delivering on their reform agenda they may have different views. What we’ve seen federally  is more of a concern about holding government than delivering meaningful, long-term reform the nation.”

Previous governments have supported a federal switch, but any change would require a constitutional amendment in the form of a referendum. Every constitutional change put to the Australian people via referendum has failed since 1984.

Labor federal member for Whitlam Stephen Jones believes there is no reason to fear a longer serving term for federal governments.

Mr Jones came out in support of a call by NSW member for Kiama Gareth Ward to extend federal terms from three years to four years.

``There is always ways of crafting provisions the case of emergency,’’ Mr Jones said.

``Nobody is suggesting removing the deadlock of a double dissolution if a senate obstructs a government agenda. All of the concerns can be dealt with to provide government a stable platform for a reasonable period of time.

``Nobody is suggesting NSW, with fixed four-year terms, is teetering on the edge. It’s been something I’ve raised before in parliament and it in fact takes a heap of the gaming out of the system.’’

Mr Jones plans to raise it again a matter of importance for the next ALP National Conference.

He noted, due to the instability of the three-year terms, few federal governments in recent Australian history have run their full course.

Mr Jones noted the ``legal obstacle’’ of constitutional change with a referendum was a sticking point.

``As Turnbull and Shorten will discover, it takes a certain amount of time and resources to run a plebiscite or referendum because when doing that, you’re not doing something else,’’ he said.

``That probably explains why it has not been done yet.’’