The coalition heads back to Canberra staring down the probability of a minority government in federal parliament.
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After a record swing away from the Liberal Party to have independent Kerry Phelps on the cusp of victory in the Wentworth by-election, the coalition will hold just 75 seats in the House of Representatives.
If Dr Phelps is confirmed the winner, there will be six crossbench members to go with Labor's 69 seats
But if Prime Minister Scott Morrison is worried about what a minority government has in store, he is not showing it.
"We have been at 75 (seats), not 76, since the former prime minister resigned," Mr Morrison told reporters on Sunday.
"In that time we had been able to legislate, run the parliament and we haven't lost a single vote."
Almost lost in the chaos of by-election fever is Mr Morrison will be on Monday delivering the national apology to victims and survivors of institutional child sexual abuse.
The government has already accepted 104 of the 122 recommendations addressed to the Commonwealth while the other 18 are being closely examined.
The House of Representatives will sit from Monday to Thursday, with plans to introduce legislation increasing penalties for white collar crime.
Criminal penalties for the corporate and financial sector misconduct are set to double in some cases after recommendations from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.
Independent MP Andrew Wilkie will present a private bill seeking to get all asylum seeker children off Nauru.
Momentum has been gathering to remove all children from detention on the island, with Scott Morrison saying he is working hard to make it happen.
"The government does not want to see children on Nauru. We didn't put them there," Mr Morrison told reporters on Sunday.
"We will continue to work closely with the crossbench members to get the right outcomes there."
Meanwhile, the Senate will be in estimates mode.
On the agenda is hearings involving environment and energy, prime minister and cabinet, home affairs, communications, finance, foreign affairs and education.
Senate reports are due on Thursday on toxic PFAS contamination and the private sector life insurers in worker rehabilitation.
Australian Associated Press
