MPs face public pressure on Twitter

Four GenY internet buffs from Sydney have launched a public service which aims to bring MPs, supporters and critics together through the social networking tool Twitter.

TweetMP.org.au co-founder Damien Donnelly said the service was designed to make it easier for average Australians to engage with and put public pressure on politicians.

"It's designed to make politicians more transparent and more accountable for their actions and ideas," he told ninemsn.

"It is important for us to engage them too."

The TweetMP website allows users to select and invite MPs to join Twitter and track their actions in real time.

Politicians can broadcast their political and personal views on a minute-by-minute basis through a Twitter news feed which users can respond to.

Twelve federal MPs, including Kevin Rudd, Malcolm Turnbull and Joe Hockey, have already joined TweetMP, which was inspired by similar concepts TweetMinster in the UK and Tweet Congress in the US.

Today Malcolm Turnbull has posted photos of Australia's Biggest Morning Tea at Parliament House, Greens member Sarah Hanson-Young posted a link about students rallying against youth allowance changes and Kate Ellis tweeted she was preparing to show off her footy skills to kids.

Alex Hawke, the Liberal MP representing Mitchell in Sydney's northwest, responded within 10 minutes when ninemsn contacted him via Twitter.

"It's a great way to generate interest and discussion on issues," he told ninemsn directly via Twitter.

"I also use it to communicate with and mobilise supporters."

Mr Donnelly said the micro-blogging tool Twitter was probably the most efficient form of communication currently available to politicians because updates were quick and could reach thousands within seconds.

"[Posting a comment] is limited to 140 characters, it can be done from anywhere via laptop or mobile phone, and it is a public broadcast medium rather than email which is often one-to-one," he said.

"And it allows them to get electorate feedback immediately and feel the pulse of their constituency."

Mr Donnelly said the four founders of Tweet MP were inspired by the apparent "lack of political will to engage the public through social media."

"[Members of Parliament] should be seizing opportunities to find more effective ways to communicate with their electorate."

"But instead, we are left with people who are used to the old way and having far less input outside of election time from the people directly."