The government will delay presenting key industrial relations bills to the Senate until it thinks it has the numbers, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull confirmed on Thursday.
In the wake of challenges to the eligibility of One Nation senator Rod Culleton and former Family First crossbencher Bob Day, the government's legislative program looks to be in limbo, with bills to re-establish the Australian Building and Construction Commission and creating a registered organisations commission at risk of not being passed before Parliament rises in December.
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Government's uphill battle
The Coalition maintains its agenda is on track, with the ABCC still a priority, despite Mitch Fifield needing a lot of prompting before discussing it. Courtesy ABC News. Down two Senators and with contentious legislation to get through, the government faces a tough week, but MPs say they're battle ready. Courtesy ABC News.
Hours after manager of government business in the Senate Mitch Fifield avoided saying if the legislation would be debated by the Senate, Mr Turnbull confirmed the government would hold off until it believed it had a majority in support.
He rejected the suggestions the Senate was in "chaos".
![Manager of government business in the Senate Mitch Fifield.](/web/20161105003153im_/http://www.watoday.com.au/content/dam/images/g/r/e/e/7/q/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gsgrwn.png/1478169500934.jpg)
"I am committed to the passage of the ABCC bill and the registered organisations bill," he said in Sydney.
"We will present them to the Senate when we believe there is a majority that will support it and... we will continue talking to the crossbench towards that end and that has been ever thus. There is no change there.
"It will depend on our discussions with the crossbench. The reality is, as John Howard always said, politics is governed by the iron law of arithmetic."
Mr Turnbull used the bills as triggers for the July 2 double dissolution election and has argued they are critical to economic development and the rule of law in the construction industry.
![Former Family First senator Bob Day.](/web/20161105003153im_/http://www.watoday.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/g/e/l/t/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gsgrwn.png/1478179929527.jpg)
He has accused Labor of showing contempt for the election outcome in obstructing the "very important" bills.
"We will continue talking to the crossbenchers as we do. If Labor decided to support it, I don't anticipate that will change but if they did, things would be different," Mr Turnbull said.
![Senator Rod Culleton is facing a High Court challenge to his role in Parliament.](/web/20161105003153im_/http://www.watoday.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/g/m/e/l/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gsgrwn.png/1478169500934.jpg)
"The legislation in the Senate next week includes very time sensitive legislation, most notably the same sex plebiscite bill which we need to get passed if we're to have a vote in February and obviously the appropriation bills which give the government the money it needs to pay for pensions and salaries and everything else."
Earlier Senator Fifield was asked five times if the bills would come to the Senate this year, and avoided answering directly.
He said the government was committed to seeing the two bills become law but wouldn't say if they would be introduced before Parliament rises on December 1.
The government's draft program for the next sitting week, beginning on Monday, lists enabling legislation for the same-sex marriage plebiscite, appropriation bills as well as changes to the backbacker tax and other measures.
The government needs eight out of nine crossbenchers to supports its legislation when opposed by Labor and the Greens. Before this week's changes, it needed nine out of 11 crossbenchers.
Mr Day's seat won't be filled until questions about his eligibility to sit in Parliament are resolved, while a re-count for Senator Culleton's seat could see his brother-in-law and One Nation number two candidate for Western Australia elected.
Senator Culleton is not in favour of the ABCC legislation, raising the prospect a replacement could be more helpful to the government's plans.
Senator Fifield said the government had a full legislative agenda and planned to "transact the people's business".
"The Senate, as always, is a many splendoured thing, and so it is."
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