Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke said he was hopeful the second tranche would pass this week, despite not yet having a majority of votes in the Senate.

“Nothing’s resolved until everything is resolved, so at the moment, we don’t have a majority in the Senate,” he said.

“I’m hopeful, the conversations have been really constructive, but you know, there’s no negotiation with David Pocock and Jacqui Lambie, that’s an easy one.”

The reworked legislation is expected to include a “right to disconnect” in a bid to sway the Greens and the two crossbenchers.

It would allow workers to tell their bosses to stop making unreasonable contact outside of work hours – but Mr Burke clarified that wouldn’t include messaging people for shifts and other “completely reasonable” issues.

He said one option was fining employers if they continued to contact workers outside agreed hours after being ordered to stop by the Fair Work Commission.

But another option would mean a worker would not be penalised should they ignore communication outside of work hours.

“Some people are paid an allowance to always be on call. But if you are in a job where you are only paid for the exact hours you are working – some people are in a situation where they are in trouble if they are not constantly checking their emails,” he said.

“That’s just unreasonable.”

Pressure over tax changes

An Australian senator has pressured an elected MP to flatly rule out her support for changes to negative gearing, resulting in a tense exchange.

Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie on Tuesday demanded independent MP Monique Ryan rule out backing the investment scheme, which allows taxpayers to offset the costs associated with an investment property against their taxable income, after Dr Ryan signalled her support for wider tax reform.

“Would you support any changes to negative gearing?” Today show host Karl Stefanovic asked the crossbencher.

“Australians need certainty and they need to understand what their tax system looks like in the future,” Dr Ryan said.

“I think that, as I’ve said again, all things should be on the table in terms of tax reform in this country, but we shouldn’t be making these willy-nilly changes. We shouldn’t be tinkering around the edges of the tax system.”

Senator McKenzie said Dr Ryan raised “an interesting point” given the Albanese government’s backflip on its stage 3 tax cuts.

“When you appreciate and understand that over 2.2 million Australians are property investors as a way to actually deal with some of the debts, rental impacts of bracket creep, they’re the types of things that people like Monique need to flatly rule out any changes to,” she said.

“Australians rejected the Labor Party the last time they put that on the table. We’re concerned now, given you can’t trust a thing these guys and gals say that this could be on the table come May.”

Dr Ryan, who said she supported “measured” tax reforms, including Labor’s changes to its stage 3 tax cuts, issued a curt response to the senator’s probing.

“I think that this sort of wedging in is the sort of thing that Australians hate about politics. They want politicians to lead and to make decisions and not to try and trap each other in this sort of way.

“Sorry, Bridget.”

Midnight oil expected to burn on tax cuts

There could be some late nights and weary eyes this week as debate kicks off on the government’s revamped stage 3 tax cuts.

Parliamentarians from all sides of politics are expected to line up to speak on the proposal, Mr Burke said.

“I’m expecting that we won’t have to wait too long after the Treasurer has introduced the legislation before we’re able to move to getting some of the debate done this week,” he said.

“And then, I wouldn’t be surprised if we have some late nights a little bit later this week and next week to be able to try to make sure we get everyone to speak.

“This is one way every member of parliament, I suspect, is going to want to have their say on whether or not every Australian should get a tax cut.”

The Coalition party room will meet on Tuesday morning to discuss Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s proposal that would redistribute tax savings from high-income earners to workers earning under $150,000.

The lowest tax bracket would be reduced from 19 per cent to 16 per cent for earnings under $45,000 and retain the 37 per cent tax rate for those earning between $135,000 and $190,000.

While Opposition Leader Peter Dutton told reporters the reworked plan was “the most egregious breach of trust and promise” by a prime minister, it’s anticipated he won’t stand in the way of the cuts.

“I think most Australians are still shell shocked by the fact that we have a prime minister who has looked the Australian public in the eye and completely told a lie to them and I think Australians won’t reward that,” he said in Canberra.

But Mr Albanese insisted that he had been upfront with Australians and had changed course due to the cost-of-living pressures felt by low-and-middle income workers.

“I was quite clear about us changing our position and why we were doing it,” he said. “I note the various reports today saying that the Liberal Party has changed its position on stage 3 tax cuts. If this is carved in stone, how is it that they have changed their position?

“If they are fair dinkum, then their response must be to not only oppose what we are putting forward with our legislation but to promise to roll it back. Unless they do that, then it’s all just wind, it’s all just politics.”

Meanwhile, opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham described the proposal as a “Band-Aid” but declined to outline exactly what the Coalition thinks Labor should do instead.

“We will stand for lower, simpler, fairer taxes and we want to see the type of pursuit of a tax system that incentives work is what stage 3 tax cuts sought to do,” Senator Birmingham told Sky.

“We will release our policies in the lead-up to the next election.”

Aussie death sentence a ‘reality check’

Australian writer Yang Hengjun’s suspended death sentence is a “reality check” for Canberra’s relations with Beijing, Senator Birmingham says.

The democracy activist was sentenced to death, which can be reduced down to life in prison if he does not commit any further crimes while in jail, by a Chinese court on Monday.

The opposition foreign affairs spokesman described the outcome as “harrowing”.

“Of course, (it is) a case that is something of a reality check for Australia in the relationship with China, and a case that must remain at the forefront of advocacy by the Albanese government and all Australian officials in their engagement with Beijing,” he told ABC TV.

China’s ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, was summoned to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Monday afternoon for a meeting with secretary Jan Adams to discuss the sentence.

Speaking after a church service in Canberra, Mr Albanese said Australia had conveyed its “outrage” about the verdict.

“This is a very harsh sentence on Dr Yang, who is a man who’s not in good health,” he said.

“We will continue to make the strongest representations. We of course called in the ambassador yesterday – but we will make representations at all levels.”

Senator Birmingham said he hoped the government “clearly laid out” the “anguish and anger” felt by Australians.

“It is critical that we make sure Australia’s feelings are heard and that in no way in the days, weeks, months or, if need be, years ahead should this case be allowed to slip from mind or from advocacy,” he said.

Mr Albanese stressed Australia’s response would be “direct”.

“We have said very clearly that we’ll co-operate with China where we can, but we’ll disagree where we must,” he said.

“We must disagree with this harsh action by China. We have done so. We will continue to do so.”

Dr Yang has been detained in China since he was arrested five years ago, accused of espionage.

He has always maintained his innocence.