The parliamentary year kicks off today, amid growing speculation about the state of the economy and a looming referendum set to dominate debate over the next six months.

Prime Minister Albanese and his team will lay the groundwork for the government’s second budget in May, with the opposition already gearing up for a fight over tax reform.

Having outlined a number of major policy reforms over the break, the government has set up another busy parliamentary year – promising to broaden consultation efforts after rushing through some major pieces of legislation before Christmas.

Here’s a look at what’s on the agenda as parliament returns.

Coalition warns government on tax changes

Just three months before his second budget, Treasurer Jim Chalmers has weighed into the debate about a possible shake-up of Australia’s tax system, after the International Monetary Fund last week said that reform is overdue.

While confirming Labor has no plans to dismantle stage three of the Coalition’s tax cut package in this year’s budget, Chalmers didn’t rule out considering further reforms beyond those already underway to crack down on multinational tax avoidance.

The Treasurer also emphatically ruled out broadening the GST and removing the capital gains tax exemption on the family home – both called for by the IMF.

The Coalition will firmly oppose any changes to the legislated stage three tax cuts, as well as any proposed changes to tax breaks on superannuation contributions.  

Fight brewing on Labor’s carbon trading plan 

Liberal and National MPs will meet tomorrow to decide their position on Labor’s safeguard mechanism overhaul, widely expected to result in the opposition blocking the scheme.

The legislation, which forces heavy emitters to reduce their emissions intensity but allows the use of carbon credits, has also come under fire from the Greens, who accuse the government of ‘greenwashing’ by allowing new coal and gas mines to use offsets.

Without the support of the Coalition, the government will be forced to negotiate a deal with the Greens – who want the government to legislate a ‘climate trigger’ to veto new coal and gas developments.

The government wants it’s safeguard mechanism through the parliament before the end of next month, and is urging both the Coalition and Greens to support the bill on the basis Australians voted for Labor’s climate action plan at the last election.

‘Yes’ and ‘No’ campaigns ramp up ahead of Voice referendum

The past month has seen intense public debate about the details on the government’s referendum on the Voice to Parliament, planned for the second half of the year.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has published a list of questions he’s seeking more clarity on prior to the Liberal Party making a decision about whether to support the referendum.

The PM came under pressure to respond to the deteriorating situation in Alice Springs, and opponents of the Voice have called for more immediate, impactful reforms to improve the health and safety of residents in remote Indigenous communities. 

The opposition will continue to press the government for details in parliament, as key pieces of legislation to enable the referendum are progressed in the first half of this year.

Medicare shake-up unveiled 

On Friday the Government released the Strengthening Medicare Report, flagging a major overhaul of Australia’s health system which is undoubtedly failing.

The recommendations are aimed at improving access to and affordability of primary care, to take the pressure off the nation’s at-capacity hospitals.

The Prime Minister and Health Minister have said the government will consider the recommendations of the report and outline specific policies and funding commitments in the May budget. The Opposition’s health spokesperson Senator Anne Ruston criticised the report for it’s vague recommendations and said it contained no practical solutions to the immediate health crisis.

Expect the government to use parliament this week to spruik the report as the delivery of a key election commitment to strengthen Medicare.  

Unions, business groups to meet over workplace relations reforms 

Having secured the passage of the first tranche of his workplace relations reforms package last year, Minister Tony Burke will meet with key unions and business groups this week to kick off consultation on the second phase.

It comes after the government copped criticism from the opposition and business lobby groups last year for rushing through the contentious legislation, which only passed the Senate after the eleventh-hour support of crossbencher David Pocock.

Burke will lead consultation on Labor’s proposed plans to overhaul labour hire laws, regulate the gig economy, criminalise wage theft and implement ‘same job, same pay’ legislation.

It’s expected the Coalition will lead opposition to the package, and Burke faces an uphill battle to win back the support of business groups after they were blindsided by the government’s deal with unions to legislate wide-scale multi-employer bargaining last year.