It comes amid speculation that the Albanese government may make changes to the contentious negative gearing scheme that allows taxpayers to offset the costs associated with an investment property against their taxable income.

Under probing from Today show host Karl Stefanovic on Thursday, Aged Care and Sports Minister Anika Wells said the government “haven’t changed our position” on the policy – a phrase repeatedly used by Labor leaders before it switched its position on the stage 3 tax cuts.

“In relation to family trusts and negative gearing, have you made your mind on that one yet. Or are you just planning not to?” Stefanovic probed.

“I hope I don’t get pinged for smiling just then,” Ms Wells joked.

“Um uh. We haven’t changed our position on that.”

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has denied Labor was looking to revisit its old policy on negative gearing, telling reports in January the government was “not contemplating or considering resurrecting the policies that we took to the 2019 election”.

Bosses face fines for harassing workers

Sweeping new workplace laws set to pass parliament on Thursday will give millions of casual workers greater rights to full-time work and allow staff the right to ignore their bosses after hours.

Labor’s Closing Loopholes Bill is expected to pass parliament after the federal government brokered deals with key senate crossbenchers including ACT senator David Pocock, who pledged his support late on Wednesday.

Key reforms include a creating a pathway for casual workers to return to permanent work and introducing new powers for the Fair Work Commission to set minimum standards for gig economy workers, such as rideshare and food delivery drivers.

Other changes include a Greens-led demand that will create a right to disconnect from work for employees. Similar laws are already in place in multiple other countries including Spain, France and Germany.

Under right to disconnect laws, workers can take their bosses to the Fair Work Commission to stop being contacted after hours. Employers could face fines if they continue to make unreasonable contact.

Workplace reforms are expected to sail through the Senate later on Thursday before being rubber stamped in the lower house.

They have faced significant backlash from business groups and the Coalition who claim the workplace overhaul will target small businesses and drive up prices for consumers.

Nationals leader David Littleproud slammed the laws as “overreach” and said Australian employers were concerned about the major changes.

“If this means that it’s all too hard and all too expensive, ultimately they [employers] will start to make decisions about who they are employing and how many people they are employing, especially casual staff,” he told Sky News.

PM called to ‘step in’ over defence quarrel

Opposition defence spokesman James Paterson has called on Anthony Albanese to “step in” over reports that the Defence Minister was clashing with officials in his own department.

Reports from the Australian Financial Review published early on Thursday have accused Defence Minister Richard Marles of failing to secure sufficient funding to meet military demands and ignoring “hundreds” of emails from his staff.

Senator Paterson called on Mr Albanese to intervene, claiming politicians could not afford to clash with the Defence Force during a time of “strategic peril.”

“The Prime Minister needs to step in and sort this out. We can’t afford any more conflict even when it comes to defence, it is far too dangerous,” he said.

“And he’s (Mr Marles) responded by saying they (defence staff) are incompetent and that they can’t deliver what the government has asked of them.”

Mr Marles’ office has been contacted for comment.