Federal politics: live coverage from Parliament House

• 7:47pm on 1 Sep 2016

And on that note, we'll wrap up for the day.

What happened?

• The first sitting of the 45th Parliament has officially ended 
• The Turnbull Government finished the week by losing three votes in the lower house.
• Senior ministers including Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, Justice Minister Michael Keenan and Social Services Minister Christian Porter were absent from the chamber during the procedural motions giving Labor the numbers it needed
• The Coalition is still working out who's fault that is - they were understood to have been given permission from Christopher Pyne, the Leader of the government in the house, to leave Canberra after adjournment, but other sources contended it was the fault of the whips
• For a full recount of the happenings, here's Michael Kozoil's report 

We'll be back on Monday September 12 when everyone makes it back to the chamber.  Hopefully.

• 7:37pm on 1 Sep 2016

While senior government ministers and their staff have a long night of them, their counterparts over at Labor are celebrating.

Leader Bill Shorten's staff have been spotted clapping and congratulating the Opposition, while Anthony Albanese - fresh from launching his book with special guest Bob Hawke - appears right pleased with how the entire day has gone.  Looks like it's pub time.

• 7:33pm on 1 Sep 2016

Speaking of tweets - our correspondent Tom McIlroy has a small correction to make

• 7:30pm on 1 Sep 2016

Those in charge of the Prime Minister's Twitter account appear to be continuing their streak of tweeting with impeccable timing.

• 7:28pm on 1 Sep 2016

It may be the end of this parliament sitting - but it won't be the end of what just occurred in the house.  The ramifications of the lost votes - and the consequences for those who let it happen, will continue for some time.

Our colleague Peter Hartcher  has given us his take.

The successful Labor ambush of the Turnbull government in the House of Representatives on Thursday afternoon will not, in itself, bring down the government, but it's highly instructive. 

The lessons learned?

• 7:22pm on 1 Sep 2016

And it's over - the House has adjourned and will rise again at 10am on Monday, September 12

• 7:16pm on 1 Sep 2016

Labor is fighting the adjournment at every turn, but the house has voted - the House will adjourn the debate until the next sitting week, which is not until the 12th of September.  That effectively means the Opposition has lost the debate - the Government will be sure to have every member of its "working majority" back in the House by then.

• 7:15pm on 1 Sep 2016

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten may have just lost the motion to keep the debate going, but he still has some fight in him

• 7:10pm on 1 Sep 2016

Our colleague Andrew Meares has managed to capture some of the discussions inside the chamber - this gives you an idea of what it was like as it was all going down. 

• 7:05pm on 1 Sep 2016

The Government won that motion - 73 to 72.  Not sure yet who switched, to give the Coalition the numbers - as far as we know, Justice Minister Michael Keenan is still not in the chamber.

• 6:53pm on 1 Sep 2016

Leader of the House, Christopher Pyne has moved a motion to adjourn the debate.  A division has been called.

• 6:51pm on 1 Sep 2016

If you have just joined us, here is what you've missed.

The Turnbull government suffered an embarrassing setback just as MPs were preparing to fly home on Thursday afternoon, losing its first vote on the floor of the House of Representatives.

Senior ministers including Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, Justice Minister Michael Keenan and Social Services Minister Christian Porter were absent from the chamber, allowing Labor to defeat an adjournment motion.

For the entire story so far, here is our colleague Michael Koziol's report.

• 6:48pm on 1 Sep 2016

The shadow treasurer ran out of time - but Leader of Opposition Business Tony Burke has come to his rescue - moving that he be allowed additional time.

Labor won that too - Mr Bowen has been granted another five minutes to argue his case.  

He singled out Fairfax Media reporter Adele Ferguson for her investigations into unscrupulous practices by banks. "But she can only do so much," he said.

• 6:41pm on 1 Sep 2016

Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen has the floor.  There is a lot of movement in the chamber, a lot of scribbling of notes, a lot of conversations.  Looks like this is going to go for a while.

• 6:30pm on 1 Sep 2016

Back in the chamber, where Small Business Minister Michael McCormack is delivering his speech against holding a commission.

Minister O'Dwyer ended her speech by coughing badly, while Treasurer Scott Morrison appears to be writing a speech in long hand.  Either that, or a very, very angry note to Opposition Leader Bill Shorten.

Independent MP Andrew Wilkie is currently the most popular person in Parliament - Tom McIlroy reports both sides of the House have been speaking with the Denison MP 

As Minister McCormack wound up his speech Mr Shorten got in a zinger, yelling "at least we can run a census!"

• 6:24pm on 1 Sep 2016

Our correspondent Michael Koziol, who is busy fleshing out that first story he brought you about the extraordinary events in the lower house reports it is the first time since 1963 a government has lost a vote in that chamber.  Unless you count the vote lost in 1975 by the newly commissioned caretaker government. 

• 6:21pm on 1 Sep 2016

Our correspondent Tom McIlroy is sitting in the chamber watching the proceedings.

It seems that it wasn't only the Coalition caught out by the sudden move - Kate Ellis was barefoot and in jeans on the floor during the votes.  She has since left the chamber.

Over on the other side of the chamber and Christopher Pyne, Scott Morrison and Barnaby Joyce are all looking very "tetchy".  

• 6:16pm on 1 Sep 2016

Meanwhile, the debate is continuing.

We've heard from Labor leader Bill Shorten, the Minister for Financial Services, Kelly O'Dwyer and now Bob Katter.

The Coalition is walking a fine line between showing compassion for victims of dubious practices and arguing against the need for a royal commission.  Those in favour of the inquiry are pushing that it is the only way.

• 6:02pm on 1 Sep 2016

We're finding out more about how that all went down 

Our correspondent Latika Bourke has confirmed some of the details leading up to the chaos. 
Minister Michael Keenan has left meaning the government is tied with Labor and the crossbench at 71 all. 
But earlier, Ministers Peter Dutton and Christian Porter were also absent leading to the government's defeat on the floor. 
They are understood to have been given permission from Christopher Pyne, the Leader of the government in the house, to leave Canberra after adjournment. 
But when Labor pulled on their stunt, the ministers were promptly called back, however it was too late for Mr Keenan. 
 

But other sources contended it was the fault of the whips - the adage success has many fathers and failure is an orphan is proving true with coalition figures all privately blaming each other for the stuff up. 

Separate sources said Ministers were only given leave until after adjournment - which has not taken place. 

• 5:57pm on 1 Sep 2016

Government loses two votes in the House of Reps

Our colleague Michael Koziol was in the House - where Malcolm Turnbull has ended his first week of the 45th Parliament with two losses in the lower house.

The Turnbull government lost its first vote on the floor of the lower house on Thursday afternoon as a handful of MPs were absent from the chamber. 

Labor succeeded in stopping the adjournment of the house and then attempted to ram through a motion calling for a banking industry royal commission. 

The vote was tied 71-71 after Immigration Minister Peter Dutton returned to the chamber. 

By tradition, Speaker Tony Smith was forced to use his casting vote to allow debate to continue, allowing Labor to continue to press for a royal commission.

Treasurer Scott Morrison and Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce reacted angrily to Labor's tactics.