Parliament is likely to return for a "trial week" in May ahead of a possible return to a more regular sitting schedule, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced.
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After a mammoth sitting day last week to pass the JobKeeper wage subsidy package, parliament wasn't due to sit again until August, a decision which had been criticised by Labor, the Greens and the crossbench.
In a press conference where Mr Morrison said Australia had been having success at suppressing the spread of coronavirus, the Prime Minister said he would be speaking with Labor leader Anthony Albanese about bringing Parliament back earlier than planned.
"We will be looking to have a trial week of Parliament in May and that would be returning to the normal business of Parliament," he said.
"That would not be the Parliament coming together to consider necessarily COVID-19 related measures but if they do need to be considered, of course they can."
Australia was "well ahead of where we thought we might be at this point," Mr Morrison said, allowing for the consideration of Parliament returning earlier than planned.
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"We would envisage coming back in the trial week sometime in May and it is my hope that we might then be able to establish a pattern beyond that which is workable," he said.
The trial week would give the opportunity to look at how parliamentary sitting would continue to work under social distancing measures.
"We will have to work obviously within the arrangements that we were able to establish a few weeks ago," Mr Morrison said.
"There are a lot of logistical issues we have to run through, there are not a lot of flights at the moment which will make it difficult, but there are also some border closure issues for a number of states which also have to be resolved and I am sure we will be able to deal with that through the National Cabinet as well."
Mr Morrison said it was important for Parliament to continue its work, but said just because Parliament isn't sitting, doesn't mean politicians aren't working.
Parliament has sat in two long sessions since coronavirus social distancing measures meant fewer politicians could travel and safely sit inside the two chambers. Both times the major parties worked together to make sure the minimum number of MPs needed were present to pass legislation.
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Sally Whyte
I report on a range of issues in federal politics and the public service, with a real passion for how decisions made in Canberra affect the lives of Australians.
I report on a range of issues in federal politics and the public service, with a real passion for how decisions made in Canberra affect the lives of Australians.
