Election speculation is going to dominate the parliamentary sitting and will until a date is set. The date isn’t that important – we know we are in a faux election campaign, and we know that the election has to be held by mid-May. The most likely dates are May 3 or May 10, but truly – it doesn’t matter. The election campaign began almost as soon as the year ticked over to 2025 and it won’t slow down just because a date is called.

But before we get there, there is a couple of parliament sittings (and a budget!) to get through.

This sitting will deal with the stronger hate crime laws the government previewed last week, in response to anti-Semitic attacks. Labor will also move to replace the child care activity test with guaranteed access to childcare at least three days a week as part of its wider plan to make childcare universal (they will need to win a couple more elections for that to happen). That’s been fast tracked – Labor wants to make childcare one of its points of difference at the next election.

And there are still the nature positive laws to get through. Even though Labor doesn’t want to negotiate with the Greens to change what they have put forward (at this stage).

Here is a quick overview of what the Institute sees as some of the issues with the bill: