A Labor MP says the practice of the having the governor-general recite a speech prepared by the government at the opening of parliament could be reconsidered.
Opposition parliamentary secretary Stephen Jones said that with eyes closed and a change of pitch, Governor-General Quentin Bryce's opening of parliament speech could have been mistaken for Prime Minister Tony Abbott's election campaign speech.
"No criticism of the governor-general. It is a convention but I think it's worthwhile considering whether we revisit some of these conventions," he told ABC television.
Mr Jones said the governor-general could perhaps deliver a broader speech on the importance of democracy and the role of parliament within that democracy.
He said what happened now was a "constitutional fiction" of delivering an address which was really the words of the prime minister.
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In the speech, Ms Bryce outlined all the government's plans for a strong, prosperous economy, to repeal Labor's carbon tax and stop the arrival of asylum seeker boats.
Similar criticisms emerged when former governor-general Michael Jeffery outlined Labor's plans on the opening of parliament after Kevin Rudd won the 2007 election.
