Treasurer Jim Chalmers has defended the prime minister's decision to cut the number of parliamentary staff crossbench MPs and senators can hire from four to one senior adviser, alongside their four electoral office staff.
Under the previous coalition government, crossbench MPs and senators were allowed to have two advisers and two assistant advisers.
Dr Chalmers said he was surprised to learn some crossbenchers had twice as many staff as other backbenchers.
"I don't think it's reasonable or fair for one backbench MP in one electorate to get twice as many staff as a backbench MP in the electorate next door," he told ABC's Insiders program on Sunday.
But he recognised there was more pressure on independents to scrutinise legislation when they didn't have the backing of a major party.
"They get an extra, quite senior staffer, which other backbenchers don't get and that's in recognition of that," Dr Chalmers said.
The government is also boosting its investment in the parliamentary library to help with crossbenchers' workload.
"We want to be reasonable. We tried to be reasonable. This is within the constraints of common sense," he said.
But "teal" Independent Monique Ryan, who ousted former treasurer Josh Frydenberg from the seat of Kooyong, is outraged.
Independent Monique Ryan says Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's move to cut advisers for crossbenchers suggests he isn't willing to work co-operatively with them. Source: AAP / LUIS ASCUI/AAPIMAGE
"It's disappointing that his first act towards the cross bench is utterly at odds with that statement."
In a joint media statement, senators Jacqui Lambie, Tammy Tyrell, David Pocock, Pauline Hanson and Malcolm Roberts said they were "deeply disappointed" by the decision to cut the personal staff of crossbench senators.
They said it's a "direct attack on democracy and will serve to only decrease scrutiny on legislation the government will be looking to pass in the coming term".
"This is also a direct attack on the people of Australia who decided to put their trust in independents and minor parties to represent them federally, by withdrawing the resources we need to adcovate for them in the Parliament," they added.
Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley said she was sympathetic to the crossbench complaints.
"When you do have to look every piece of legislation and get across numerous different issues, many in the one parliamentary week, without the support of a party structure I do understand it is a pretty high workload," she told Sky News' Sunday Agenda program.
"However, we are not the government and this is a decision that the present government, the present prime minister, needs to own and back in."
