Same-sex marriage to dominate final sitting week discussions in Parliament

Federal Politicians are heading back to Canberra for what is expected to be the final sitting week of the year.

Same-sex marriage is likely to dominate the discussions after legislation was passed by the senate last week 43 votes to 12.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has indicated that MPs could sit next week, if the legislation doesn’t pass by Thursday.

It’s understood religious protections will be a talking point, as MPs re-introduce some amendments which failed to receive enough support in the Senate.

The same-sex marriage bill remains a high priority in the Lower House with @TurnbullMalcolm looking to pass it before Christmas. #9Today pic.twitter.com/DRifl3mS7s

— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) December 3, 2017

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister is expected to be in a fairly good mood following Barnaby Joyce’s landslide win in Saturday’s New England byelection.

He may also have an extra spring in his step after today’s Newspoll, published in The Australian, showed the coalition clawing back some ground against labor.

The LNP’s primary vote is just one percentage point behind labor at 36 per cent.

The poll also has Mr Turnbull as the preferred prime minister (39%), ahead of Mr Shorten (33%).