The Ice Bucket Challenge, which has spared seemingly no American celebrity from a drenching has arrived, unceremoniously and somewhat tired, in the hallowed halls of Australian democracy.

With the viral internet craze now being punted around Parliament House in Canberra, leaving a wake of cold, wet politicians including Josh Frydenberg, Christopher Pyne, Sarah Hanson-Young and Ken Wyatt, has the Ice Bucket Challenge reached its nadir of "cool"?

Many casual observers have reached ice-bucket saturation point, with a Queensland newsreader's backlash rant striking a viral chord.

But Motor Neurone Disease Australia, the official charity of the Australian challenge, couldn't be more pleased, having received $620,000 in donations since the challenge hit Australian shores on August 10. 

"It's our one moment in the sun. It probably won't happen again," said Carol Birks, national executive director, who hoped the challenge's infiltration into the political sphere would encourage some high-level action in tackling the disease. 

"The average life expectancy of MND is two to five years. We need research," Ms Birks said.

"It's up to the government to fund large projects to help find treatments and a cure."

Among the latest nominees is Immigration Minister Scott Morrison, who now has 24 hours to complete the challenge, after being tagged by his political rival Senator Sarah Hanson-Young on Wednesday morning.

That the palpable disdain between Morrison and Hanson-Young regularly tests the bounds of parliamentary politeness adds an element of cheek to the nomination, with a deluge of "on water matter" asides sure to follow.

As George W. Bush's challenge demonstrated, the personal cannot be divorced from the political, with the former US president's icy dump triggering half-serious jibes about waterboarding - the torture tactic sanctioned by his government during its war on terrorism. 

Senator Hanson-Young also passed the baton to Greens leader Christine Milne and the mercurial leader of the Palmer United Party, Clive Palmer.

For Mr Palmer, in particular, expectations are high.

He has a penchant for stunts; his offbeat enterprises include a dinosaur theme park and construction of a replica of the Titanic.

Declaring his passion to be prime minister "and in time, a good and a just emperor", Mr Palmer caused a media storm in June when he fronted a press conference with former US vice-president-turned-environmental activist Al Gore to outline his position on the carbon tax repeal legislation.

With Parliament in session, politicians should brace for an extra chilly and wet week in Canberra.