Liberal MPs have threatened to vote against their party to legislate a federal corruption watchdog. 

Two Liberal MPs have lined up with crossbench MPs and Labor in pushing for a federal integrity commission to be legislated before the next election in May.

The Morrison government says it has run out of time to put forth the legislation.

Retiring Liberal MP John Alexander says he wants to see action on creating a corruption watchdog before he leaves politics.

“It is time that we stop bashing heads and put our heads together,” he said this week.

“A very fundamental thing [about] our representatives is we have to be able to believe in them. We have to be able to trust them that they are telling the truth. That they have integrity.

“Here is an example of something that needs to be done to regain that trust and faith from those who elect us.”

His comments come after fellow Liberal MP Bridget Archer shocked her colleagues by moving to support independent Helen Haines's motion to debate an integrity commission.

This week, she urged the Coalition to allow the debate.

“It's so important,” she said. 

“It's the most important thing we do.

“This issue must be beyond politics. If it's not beyond politics, if we can't come together and collaborate, this will never be done.”

However, complex voting arrangements set up to avoid COVID-19 infections leave the MPs unable to reach the numbers needed for a vote on an integrity commission to succeed.

The Coalition used these arrangements to block the attempt last year.

Now, Attorney-General Michaelia Cash says there is no time to legislate on the issue.

The government claims it has the bill for a federal integrity commission ready, but will not introduce it. 

The commission put forth in the bill has been slammed for lacking ‘teeth’, not given enough powers to properly investigate and make findings on allegations of corruption. It has also been criticised for being too narrow in its remit.