Can MPs job share?

Should MPs job share?

Independent candidates for the federal seat of Higgins, Bronwyn Bock and Lucy Bradlow, have put forward the idea that they will run together at the next election, with the idea that, if elected, they will job-share the parliamentary role, a week on and a week off.

Their suggestion caused instantaneous abuse to reign down upon them—what a stupid idea! they aren’t serious people!—and I must admit I was one of those whose first reaction was to dismiss the plan. My concern was that I didn’t see how it could be legal, or constitutional, a view backed up by comments from constitutional expert, Professor (Emerita) Ann Twomey, who said on ABC Radio:

It does not sound like something that is in the least bit feasible at the moment…neither legally nor constitutionally valid…with many problems. There's nothing in the Constitution or in the legislation that permits more than one person to be elected for an electorate on a job-share basis or even to try and elect two candidates to pretend to be one m…