A federal government frontbencher has attacked the opposition for refusing to back a new code of conduct for MPs.

Independent Rob Oakeshott's push for new standards for MPs is expected to be one of the first pieces of business in the lower house today.

The motion is expected to pass later in the week with the support of Labor.

The code will include a process for considering complaints against MPs and a revamped role for the privileges and members' interests committee.

But manager of opposition business Christopher Pyne reportedly said the coalition won't support it until an upper house committee reports on a similar code for the Senate.

"The question people should be asking is why the Liberal party is so opposed to this notion that a code of conduct might be introduced," Assistant Treasurer David Bradbury told reporters in Canberra.

"They feel as though not only are they allowed to continue to be unaccountable in opposition but if they ever do get into government they feel the same lack of accountability should allow them to get on with doing whatever it is they want to do."

Mr Bradbury said there was a good case for a code of conduct but the detail needed to be nutted out.

"The government is committed to working through these issues with the development of a code of conduct," he said.

Cabinet minister Anthony Albanese said Mr Pyne had changed his tune, having previously signed up to this sort of agreement without making any requests about a similar code for the Senate.

"That wasn't what they said," he told Sky News.

"Previously they agreed to a code of conduct on parliamentary reform just like they agreed to a range of measures to improve the standing of the parliament."

Mr Pyne later clarified the coalition was happy to consider a code of conduct but insisted "it must apply to all elected parliamentarians".

"It is entirely appropriate to wait for a Senate inquiry currently underway into a code of conduct to report so both houses of parliament can jointly consider how to proceed," he said in a statement to AAP.

Comment: Will this Code of Conduct be voluntary or enforceable?

Independents: Contact information

Rob Oakeshott: http://www.roboakeshott.com/contact-rob

Tony Windsor: http://www.tonywindsor.com.au/contact.html

Andrew Wilkie: http://www.andrewwilkie.org/content/index.php/aw/contact/ 

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