Malcolm Turnbull has called on politicians to drop throw-away lines and speak honestly to Australians in 2017.
Every year MPs urged each other to be kinder and gentler, the prime minister told parliament in his end-of-year address on Thursday.
"I don't mind being labelled idealistic for hoping that we will be in 2017, but perhaps a more realistic goal is to vow to speak more plainly and with more candour to the Australian people," he said.
Australians were weary of the political games and many believe MPs can say one thing and mean another.
"And that our promises are throw-away lines with a shelf life of a carton of milk," Mr Turnbull said.
"If we promise to be bound by our words, we will be much more careful in choosing them."
Mr Turnbull declared 2016 a remarkable year and one of delivery for his government.
He noted the coalition had guided 38 bills through parliament following a hard-fought eight week election campaign.
"'Mr Harbourside Mansion' was surely the epithet of the campaign. Of course, Bill (Shorten) desperately wanted the title for himself but like all good socialists he wanted a harbourside mansion paid for by the taxpayer."
The prime minister recalled some of his most memorable experiences, from meeting with indigenous Australians to a touching moment with a young girl with cancer.
"I've been brought to tears a few times in this job and I admit there was some more that day."
The prime minister spoke of the terrorist attacks in Nice and Orlando, Brexit and the election of Donald Trump that left many red-faced.
"Internationally, 2016 delivered both change and in some parts of the world a depressing lack of change."
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten echoed Mr Turnbull's sentiments, saying Australians deserve a parliament capable of rising above narrow self-serving interests.
"It is a challenge to us next year in this parliament, a challenge to use our parliament more intelligently to elevate politics," he told MPs.
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