Labor and the Greens had been pushing for an inquiry, claiming Mr Taylor had acted inappropriately by seeking meetings with environment officials about the laws while the department was investigating alleged illegal grass clearing on land he had an interest in.

While Centre Alliance voted with Labor and the Greens in favour of an inquiry, Cory Bernardi and Pauline Hanson did not, scuttling the attempt for further scrutiny by one vote.

Before the vote in the Senate, Labor dedicated almost a whole Question Time's worth of questions at Mr Taylor, after similar strategies last week. So what is going on?

In early 2017 then cities minister Angus Taylor requested a meeting with Environment Department officials over the classification of the Natural Temperate Grasslands of the South Eastern Highlands of NSW and the ACT as a critically endangered ecological community.

At the same time, the environment department was investigating whether such land had been illegally cleared on a farm near Delegate in southern NSW, which is owned by Jam Land Pty Ltd. Angus Taylor's brother Richard Taylor is one of the directors of Jam Land, and Farm Partnerships Australia, owned by Gufee Pty Ltd, has a one-third stake in the property. Gufee is owned by Angus Taylor and his wife.

There was a compliance officer present at the meeting, and it's not known what was discussed, which is what Labor wanted an inquiry to uncover.

Labor has accused Mr Taylor of not properly disclosing his interests in the property at the meeting and had access to calling a meeting with a minister and departmental officials most people wouldn't have access to.

Reporting on this issue has been led by Guardian Australia over the past three months. Political pressure is being applied now because Labor has seized on the story after parliament began sitting, using the story to target the minister, directing a whole Question Time worth of questions at him over the matter, as well as seeking to start an inquiry twice.

Mr Taylor said he was simply representing constituents who had contacted him about the legislation and the problems it was causing them and has attempted to turn the fight back on Labor, saying member for Eden-Monaro Mike Kelly should also have been advocating for farmers.

The government is supporting Mr Taylor, saying his interests were declared correctly, because Gufee is listed on his register of interests, but Labor disputes this.

While Gufee is on Mr Taylor's register of interests, Jam Land Pty Ltd is not, which Mr Taylor said would be setting a new standard for MPs' declarations.

"If the register of interests were required to record minority, non-controlling interests held at three levels down in a family company structure, this would be a major change to current practice," Mr Taylor said on Monday.

Expect to hear more about the issue at Question Time and Estimates in October.