Federal parliament plans return for Feb 12

Federal parliament will return on February 12 next year but may only sit for a couple of weeks before an election is called.

Leader of the House Christopher Pyne presented the draft calendar to the lower house on Tuesday evening, which was agreed to despite Labor's objections.

With an early budget announced for April 2 and the federal election due by mid-May, the House of Representatives could only sit for about two weeks before a possible change of government.

There will be even fewer sitting days for the Senate, with estimates hearings slated for the second sitting week of the year, from February 18.

The calendar is blank for March, giving the government time to prepare for the early budget.

The government narrowly won a vote - 72 to 71 - against Labor's attempt to add an extra six sitting dates in March.

"The fact the numbers on the floor have become inconvenient for the government, doesn't change our democratically elected duty," leader of opposition business Tony Burke told the lower house on Tuesday.

"They (the coalition) don't want to risk what democracy thinks of this government."

Federal parliament is in the midst of its final sitting fortnight of the year, which will end next on December 6.