Disorderly MPs could be booted from the House of Representatives for longer, under proposed changes to parliamentary rules.

Recommendations to change the workplace culture of Parliament House laid out in the landmark Set the Standard report were presented on Monday.

Parliament’s procedures committee has recommended six changes, including eliminating offensive and discriminatory language in parliament and harsher penalties for MPs behaving badly.

Disorderly MPs can be kicked out of the House of Representatives by the Speaker for one hour for repeated bad behaviour.

But committee chair Shayne Neumann said the length of time MPs can be booted for should be increased to three hours for more serious offences.

“The one-hour withdrawal is not a significant deterrent of poor behaviour,” he told parliament.

“A three-hour penalty would mean a badly behaved member is more likely to miss speaking opportunities and important votes and should help the Speaker address disorderly conduct.”

The recommendations also called for changes to standing orders – the rules for how parliament is run – that would bar discriminatory language being used in the chamber.

“The parliamentary chambers are unique working environments. Freedom of speech and the robust exchange of ideas are core principles of parliamentary democracy,” Mr Neumann said.

“That doesn’t mean that our debates shouldn’t be respectful.”

The committee also called for a separate committee to be established to examine gender equality and diversity.

Mr Neumann said parliament should also consider making parliamentary language gender neutral.

But deputy committee chair Ross Vasta, a Liberal MP, said the gender-neutral change was unnecessary.

“There is already gender-neutral language that naturally exists in the Australian parliament,” he said.

“The member of an electorate when given the call is already gender neutral, as well as the use of speaker, deputy speaker, chair and deputy chair minister or even prime minister.”

The committee did not make any recommendations to change the sitting hours.

“The committee will maintain a watching brief on the hours and days of sitting to monitor the careful balance between making the most of members’ time in Canberra and maintaining wellbeing and safety,” Mr Neumann said.

By Andrew Brown in Canberra