As Labor seeks to pass end-of-year environmental law reform, Ley and the Greens will be vying to seal the deal

The EPBC Act has emerged as a key test, with the government hoping to score a political milestone while the Liberal leader needs to prove her authority

• Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast

The final sitting week of federal parliament before the summer break is not usually the most edifying example of democracy in action. Politicians and the media are spent and the sausage-making process can get a little rough.

So it was at the end of 2024, as Labor moved to clear the decks with an election looming and rumours of a summer campaign spreading. On the last sitting day alone, more than 30 bills went through the Senate, including reforms to the Reserve Bank - and Labor's landmark social media ban for under-16s, now just weeks away.