The introduction of legislation to create a federal anti-corruption watchdog will be delayed after Queen Elizabeth's death prompted the next sitting of parliament to be cancelled.
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A vote on restoring the rights of the ACT and Northern Territory to make their own voluntary assisted dying laws also won't be held until late October at the earliest - unless extra sittings are scheduled before then to make up for lost time.
No decision about rescheduling the four lost sitting days had been made as of 10am on Friday morning.
Under long-standing protocols for observing the passing of the Queen, parliament is immediately suspended and not reconvened until 15 days after the monarch's death.
That means the next sitting week of parliament, due to start on Monday, will be cancelled.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said suspending parliament was among the measures which were automatically triggered after the Queen's death.
"That is similar to provisions that will be put in place around Commonwealth Parliaments," he told ABC's RN Breakfast.
Mr Albanese said he would write to House Speaker Milton Dick and Senate President Sue Lines on Friday to officially cancel next week's sitting.
While parliament won't meet, Mr Albanese said the government would continue to function during the period of mourning.
Mr Albanese and Governor-General David Hurley will travel to London for the Queen's funeral.
The government had been planning to use the next sitting week to introduce a bill to establish a federal anti-corruption commission, which was one of the major policies it took to the federal election.
It planned to hold a parliamentary inquiry into its proposed model in the coming months, before putting the bill to a vote before the end of 2022.
Labor will now face a race against time to meet its election pledge to legislate an anti-corruption watchdog before the end of the year.
Unless extra sittings are scheduled, the next chance to introduce the bill will come when parliament reconvenes for the handing down of the Albanese government's first budget on October 25.
However, the first day back will be largely devoted to MPs and Senators making speeches paying tribute to the Queen.
The Senate will sit for another 10 days this year after the budget, and will also hold estimates in late October and early November. The lower house is scheduled to sit for a total 14 days after the budget.
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The Queen's death could also have implications for the Labor-backed bill to restore the rights of the territories to legislate on voluntary assisted dying.
Debate on Alicia Payne and Luke Gosling's private member's bill progressed in the Senate this week after being introduced on Monday.
But the cancellation of the next sitting week means that, barring any make-up sittings, a final vote won't be held until late October at the earliest.
The government's plan to start moving cashless debit card holders off the scheme from mid-September will also be delayed, with a bill to abolish the card still yet to pass the Senate.
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Dan Jervis-Bardy
Dan covers federal politics from Parliament House, with a special focus on climate policy and the NDIS. He has previously reported on ACT politics and urban affairs since joining the Canberra Times in 2018.
Dan covers federal politics from Parliament House, with a special focus on climate policy and the NDIS. He has previously reported on ACT politics and urban affairs since joining the Canberra Times in 2018.
