PM Morrison's control of parliament tested
Scott Morrison's control of parliament will be tested again when Labor pushes for stronger legal protections for small businesses, as well as a crack down on payday lenders and rent-to-buy schemes.
The coalition government suffered an embarrassing loss last week over asylum seeker medical transfers, and history could be repeated when federal parliament returns on Monday.
Legislative changes making it easier for small businesses to legally challenge corporate giants could be the next problem for the prime minister.
Small businesses would be able to apply in court to avoid paying the legal costs of blue chip firms, even if they lose the case.
Shadow assistant treasurer Andrew Leigh believes several National Party MPs could cross the floor to support the proposal, and is confident it will pass.
"I think it's got support from Nationals who have been agitating internally since 2016 when Labor announced this policy," he told AAP on Sunday.
"They recognise the benefits for their constituents of being able to take on the big end of town without risking being bankrupted by the other side's legal costs."
But last week's win in Canberra doesn't seem to have helped Labor with voters.
The ALP's lead over the coalition has been cut to the slimmest of margins, according to an opinion poll conducted as debate raged over border protection.
Labor leads the Morrison government 51 to 49 on a two-party preferred basis in the latest Ipsos poll published by the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age newspapers on Sunday night.
That's down from 54 to 46 in December.
Nevertheless, after teaming up with the crossbench to defeat the coalition once, Labor is confident of forcing a vote on capping the amount appliance rental companies can charge for household goods.
"This rip-off has to stop," opposition backbencher Milton Dick said.
The government will also vote for a motion calling for a royal commission into the violence, abuse and neglect of people with disabilities.
The prime minister has promised to consult with the disability sector, states and territories, but has set no time frame for establishing the royal commission.
Senate estimates hearings will start for the first time in 2019 and government departments are already facing serious scrutiny.
Peter Dutton's Home Affairs department faces questions about contentious $423 million contract awarded to a security contractor on Manus Island.
A company called Paladin, which won the contract through a closed tender process, is reportedly registered to a beach shack at the end of a dirt road on Kangaroo Island.
Paladin was given the tender despite not having enough money to start the contract and its founder having a history of bad debts.
"It's deeply concerning that we've had $423 million of your (taxpayer) money going to a company which has got such a poor track record," Labor senator Penny Wong said.
The same department will also face scrutiny over its role in the months-long detention in Thailand of refugee footballer Hakeem al-Araibi.
Meanwhile, the Department of Parliamentary Services will be quizzed over Senator Brian Burston's unseemly scuffle with One Nation staffer James Ashby.
Senator Burston later admitted to swiping blood on Senator Pauline Hanson's door, while Mr Ashby had his parliamentary pass revoked.
