The prime minister has offered some pointed advice to a veteran coalition colleague threatening to cross the floor in opposition to axing life gold travel passes for politicians.
Queensland Liberal senator Ian Macdonald is against scrapping the retirement perk for federal MPs, insisting it is time someone stood up for politicians who are not "particularly well paid".
"If you're a politician and you think you're not being adequately paid and that upsets you, then just resign or don't run again," Mr Turnbull told 3AW's Neil Mitchell on Friday.
"We're not conscripts, right, we're all volunteers."
The prime minister said travel gold passes were relics of a bygone era of perks for politicians.
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"The idea that somebody, just because they've been in parliament for 20 years, for the rest of their life can fly around at the public expense is almost Dickensian," he said.
The prime minister on Thursday introduced a bill to the lower house to establish a new expenses watchdog.
A bill to immediately axe the life gold travel passes - one of the most generous retirement perks for federal MPs - was also introduced and follows the expenses scandal that claimed the scalp of former health minister Sussan Ley.
Senator Macdonald railed against the axing of the gold pass on Thursday, telling parliament he would oppose the government.
"Most parliamentarians, those on this side, would have done infinitely better financially staying in their legal practice, staying in their business," he said.
"I'll leave this place probably in a box, so it's not going to relate to me.
"If I don't, the last thing I want to do after 27 years of flying from Townsville to Canberra to do my job here is sit on a plane ever again."
Senator Macdonald said the retrospective changes would affect a small group of elderly former parliamentarians who served with far fewer conditions and pay than today's politicians, and the gold pass was part of the deal.
"They are entitled to what was agreed upon. It should not be taken from them," he said.
"At least let these people come in and have their say."
Senator Macdonald also wants to strengthen the proposed expenses watchdog to include oversight of all taxpayer-funded positions, including public servants, judges and statutory tribunals such as the Human Rights Commission.
