The NSW opposition has teamed up with a pack of crossbenchers to pass parliamentary reforms that could prove a headache for the Berejikilian government.
The upper house reforms, aimed at improving parliamentary transparency, will see ministers and top public servants front a full day of scrutiny twice a year during budget estimates.
At present they're grilled for just three hours once a year.
Some of the new rules passed the Legislative Council early on Wednesday afternoon without a fight from the coalition, which didn't have the numbers to oppose them.
More reforms will be introduced by the crossbench and debated throughout the day, but are expected to also pass.
Interim NSW Labor leader Penny Sharpe said the reforms would also force the government's array of parliamentary secretaries face both question time and estimates hearings.
"Less secrecy and more accountability is good for the people of NSW," Ms Sharpe said in a statement.
The opposition received support from the Greens and the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party. They jointly drew up the changes to the sessional orders of the Legislative Council.
Most of the reforms will only apply to the current term of parliament and expire after four years.
But there is appetite among some crossbenchers to cement the new rules as standing orders, which would apply to any future government.
Greens MP David Shoebridge said the reforms would improve transparency.
"The Greens have a longstanding history of reforming the parliament, to hold the government to account and to give essential information to the public," Mr Shoebridge told AAP.
Another change would double the time the opposition, minor parties and independents get to introduce new laws each sitting week.
A 30-minute debate will also be held after question time, where government claims made during question time can be challenged.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian has also promised parliamentary reform. She's written to the presidents of both houses asking them to inquire into the modernisation of parliament and to improve its function and efficiencies.
The Liberal leader on Wednesday said she wasn't worried by the new standards being introduced by her political opponents.
"I had a very cursory glance at what's being proposed in the upper house, I'm completely relaxed about what's being proposed," Ms Berejiklian told reporters.
But Shooters MP Robert Borsak argues life is about to become a lot more difficult for the government.
"We'll see a lot more difficulty being generated for the government because they'll actually have to explain why they're doing the secret corrupt deals they're doing in the background with their various uptown cronies," Mr Borsak told reporters.
He said the government's proposed reforms are merely a distraction and only the opposition and crossbench can deliver meaningful change.
"Berejiklian's reforms are a smokescreen ... we're heading for the gold standard," Mr Borsak told AAP.
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