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Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has publicly smacked down three of his ministers over the embarrassing and chaotic defeats the government suffered in the House of Representatives on Thursday night.

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Defence Department down to just one in-house naval architect to work on the sprawling submarines program.

Leader of the House and Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne says he did not give MPs permission to leave Parliament early, labelling Thursday's embarrassing defeats in the House of Representatives a "stuff up".

Sam Dastyari has pointed to his attendance at a Chinese film festival to justify using taxpayer funds to campaign for Labor, even though MPs are banned from using their travel perks for political work.

The government has suffered a major defeat in the House of Representatives.

Pat Dodson delivers maiden speech

An official visit to the United States for Tony Abbott cost taxpayers $60,000 – even though the former prime minister was rolled by his colleagues before he could get on the plane.

• ANALYSIS

Labor caught out the Coalition government at the end of a fractious first week in the 45th parliament, using smart tactics and parliamentary procedure to severely embarrass Malcolm Turnbull.

Legislation, maiden speeches and political battle: MPs are back in Parliament for the final sitting day of the week.

The contractor responsible for the health of asylum seekers has been slugged more than $300,000 for problems relating to treatment of tuberculosis and other serious diseases in onshore detention, raising grave questions over the quality of care delivered to vulnerable people behind the wire.

The Nice terror attack highlights the need to clarify the role the ADF should play in domestic terrorism events in future, says defence think tank.

The federal government concedes the cost of moving public servants from Canberra to northern NSW doesn't stack up.

He's risen to national attention over Sam Dastyari's travel bill. But the story of Minshen Zhu's reach is far bigger than just the Labor powerbroker.

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Labor will be emboldened to block a same-sex marriage plebiscite after the largest ever poll on the issue found progressive voters overwhelmingly want to avoid Malcolm Turnbull's faltering plan for a public vote.

Labor says the Independent Commission Against Corruption has contradicted the cabinet secretary's claims about his knowledge of the Free Enterprise Foundation.

Pauline Hanson blames Tony Abbott for her imprisonment over now quashed electoral fraud charges but the pair have made up in a bizarre staged video posted to the Senator's Facebook page, in a move that will spark further speculation the former prime minister is attempting a political comeback

The world's 20 largest economies need to increase their climate commitments, and Australia's not doing its fair share.

In broad daylight, a stealthy band of rebels armed with headphones came to Parliament House. And nobody noticed.

Anthony Albanese has no time for those who might judge the worth of a family by the number or gender of the parents in it.

Government sources claim the change does not affect the way Australia's so-called "rules of engagement" were structured to avoid civilian casualties.

Former prime minister Julia Gillard has been appointed visiting professor at London's prestigious King's College.

Labor powerbroker Sam Dastyari has been admonished by a senior factional ally and is facing further scrutiny after it was revealed he backed China's position in the South China Sea dispute at an event with a prominent Chinese-Australian political donor.

Jacqui Lambie and Derryn Hinch aka 'Jerryn' stole the show at Canberra's version of the Logies.

 They don't often sing songs from the public gallery in the nation's parliament, and speakers don't usually wear kangaroo skin cloaks, and politicians from opposing sides don't normally hug, shed a tear and pledge to work together.

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A massive Reachtel poll of more than 10,271 people has found a thumping majority of Australians oppose the government cutting $1 billion from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency.

The Climate Change Authority has backed off its commitment to assess the implications of the Paris climate accord in a move critics say signals a weakening of its independence.

An emotional Tim Wilson has called on conservatives to abandon nostalgia and lamented the ongoing inability of same-sex couples to marry during his maiden speech in Parliament.

The Turnbull Government faces what could be its first defeat in the Senate over a motion calling for a banking royal commission.

Julie Bishop has rejected Paul Keating's assessment that Australia has "no foreign policy", insisting our diplomatic sway in the Asia-Pacific has "never been greater".