The Turnbull government has sent a preliminary signal that it will bring its signature double dissolution bills back for parliamentary consideration in the final sitting fortnight for 2016.
The government has provisionally listed both the registered organisations bill, and the bill to restore the Australian Building and Construction Commission for Senate consideration next week.
The federal parliament returns for two weeks next Monday before rising for the summer recess.
In early November, Mitch Fifield, the manager for government business in the Senate, refused to commit to bringing the ABCC bill to a vote this year despite the bill being the trigger for the July double dissolution election.
The backtracking by the government followed concern about parliamentary numbers after the resignation of Family First Senator Bob Day, the referral of his eligibility to the high court, and a similar referral of One Nation senator Rodney Culleton to the court over a conviction for larceny at the time of his election.
The industrial bills are important issues for the Coalition’s base, and the government would dearly like to emerge from the final sitting fortnight with a significant win, but it remains unclear whether or not the government will have the numbers for the ABCC bill.
Culleton has been a critic although others in One Nation are inclined to support the measure. A party spokesman has previously insisted its members would vote as a bloc.
Nick Xenophon told Guardian Australia his party had not reached an agreement with the government on the ABCC bill and was still negotiating in good faith, including talking to those opposed to the bill.
NXT was also seeking amendments to the registered organisations bill to increase whistleblower protections.
Senator David Leyonhjelm has also not yet reached an agreement on the ABCC bill.
He has put a number of proposals to the government to “increase freedom” to help win his vote, including changes to section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act.
Leyonhjelm is more sympathetic to the registered organisations bill, and believes it is more likely to be passed this year as the government has more crossbench support and there is the prospect of Labor agreeing to it, with amendments.
