Thrills, spills and (dollar) bills that dominated the first week of Parliament
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The whirlwind of Parliament is back, stirring up Canberra. If you were too busy to track the developments as they happened, catch up on the key points here.
6. LOTO faces off with a rector over gay marriage
Bill Shorten was accused of intolerance and "brutal" language towards people opposed to same-sex marriage, in a confrontation with a rector outside a church service.
Mr Shorten was among politicians attending the service to mark the start of the parliamentary year.
The Labor leader is a vocal advocate of same-sex marriage, but has raised concerns a plebiscite would be divisive and encourage the vilification of same-sex couples.
Rector Ian Powell, from an Anglican church in Canberra, took the opportunity to raise concerns about Labor's approach on the first day of Parliament.
Mr Shorten said he was not being quoted accurately and did not want to be hectored.
"People of faith can be opposed to marriage equality, but some people who object to marriage equality do have homophobic attitudes," he said.
At this stage, the Government's plan for a plebiscite on same-sex marriage looks doomed because it cannot secure enough crossbench support to get the legislation needed to hold the vote through Parliament.
Its last saving grace will be if Labor decides to back the public vote, but senior Opposition MPs have strong reservations about allowing a public debate that could incite homophobia.
5. Taxpayers fork out for politicians
How much is your local MP spending on the taxpayer dime? ABC has crunched the numbers, to find $55 million in charges over the second half of last year.
Among the latest figures was a $60,282.75 bill for "accommodation and meals" charged against former prime minister Tony Abbott between September 25 and 27 last year.
The expenses are listed as being for a trip to the United States, but Mr Abbott never got to make the journey — he was removed as prime minister by his Liberal colleagues the week before.
You can dig down into the detail on different types of expenses, and check for helicopter largesse, but it is likely the downfall of former speaker Bronwyn Bishop will have been a salutary lesson leading MPs to rein in their charges.
An early sweep of the data has shown federal politicians spent more than three-quarters of $1 million on flags in a six-month period.
4. The haters debate
The PM has faced an early test of his authority, with all Coalition backbench senators supporting the latest push to water down the nation's race hate laws.
Liberal senator Cory Bernardi has moved a private member's bill to remove the words "insult" and "offend" from the Racial Discrimination Act, while still maintaining the more serious protections against hate speech.
Seven crossbenchers, including the bloc of One Nation senators and crossbenchers Derryn Hinch, Bob Day and David Leyonhjelm, are also on board.
Shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus described the move as "an open rebellion" against Mr Turnbull and called on the Prime Minister to rule out any changes to the laws.
Mr Turnbull has previously said it was not a priority for his Government and Attorney-General George Brandis has released a statement saying the Coalition has no plans to change 18C.
Senator Bernardi denied he was deliberately undermining Mr Turnbull by pushing ahead with the changes, saying the issue could be dealt with alongside the other items on the Coalition's agenda.
But the re-emergence of the issue is a sign that Mr Turnbull faces as many challenges within his own party as he does in Parliament.
3. The story of the kangaroo-skin cloak
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture left an indelible mark on week one of the new parliament.
The first Indigenous woman to be elected to the Lower House, Linda Burney, delivered her inaugural speech.
She slammed the push to reduce protections against race hate, and paid tribute to her Indigenous heritage.
She wore a kangaroo skin cloak, which charts the story of her clan totem, the goanna, and her personal totem, the white cockatoo, and was sung into the Parliament with a moving Indigenous song.
The MP also told the story of her Indigenous Wiradjuri heritage, a brutal history which began with massacres and battles between warriors and white settlers.
"Scars as much on our national landscape as on our national soul," she said.
Former Catholic priest Pat Dodson was also on his feet, delivering his official first speech in the Senate.
Best known as the "Father of Reconciliation", Senator Dodson now takes on the Indigenous Affairs portfolio for Labor, assisting Opposition Leader Bill Shorten.
He too spoke in Indigenous language and pushed the case for constitutional recognition and the prospect of a direct Treaty agreement between Indigenous clans and the Federal Government.
Among those congratulating him was One Nation senator Pauline Hanson, whose views on Indigenous Affairs have inflamed divisions in the past.
2. Dastyari into damage control over donations
Labor frontbencher Sam Dastyari has been in the Government's sights all week, as he fends off escalating accusations about a travel debt he did not pay for himself.
Instead the senator sent the bill to a company with links to the Chinese Government.
Senator Bernardi led the initial charge against him, saying the $1,670.82 payment had the "stench of corruption".
In a matter of days, and following an embarrassing night for the Government on the floor of the Lower House, the Prime Minister was ramping up the rhetoric.
"Is the Labor party's foreign policy for sale, was this cash for comment?" he asked.
Senator Dastyari has donated the money to charity and said he had made a mistake.
He also rejected the suggestion he had been influenced to take a pro-China position.
The issue has fed into a larger debate about political donations from foreign countries.
It has also been revealed that Australia's domestic spy chief sounded the alarm about donor links with China last year.
It must also be noted that crossbench senator Jacqui Lambie had a view on Senator Bernardi's right to criticise — she said his lecture was "like an angry prostitute lecturing us about the benefits of celibacy".
She went on to apologise to sex workers, saying they were far more honest and sincere than the senator.
1. No more Ferris Bueller's days off from Parliament
The shambles in Federal Parliament on Thursday night came after a number of Government MPs decided to head home early.
Labor swooped and almost pushed through its motion to hold a banking royal commission.
The Prime Minister has admitted it was an "embarrassment" and said he had read the riot act to those who ducked off early.
Justice Minister Michael Keenan was in deep trouble after he boarded a plane to Melbourne, where he told AM he wanted to be for a significant AFP operation.
He went on to call the Labor ambush a stunt and "parlour games".
Two other senior ministers, Christian Porter and Peter Dutton, had also headed out.
Mr Porter managed to get back for the second vote and Mr Dutton arrived for the fourth, finally delivering the Government the numbers.
It certainly tested the Prime Minister's assurances that the one-seat majority he holds in the Lower House will deliver "stable" government.
It also endorses crossbencher Bob Katter's warning that Government MPs will not be able to take a toilet break, for fear of losing crucial votes.
The West Australian reports Liberal MPs are blaming Labor, suggesting the Opposition pulled an elaborate ruse and sent out an MP to pretend to leave Parliament, so others would follow.
Topics: federal-government, federal-parliament, government-and-politics, turnbull-malcolm, australia
