Govt downplays chances of early election

The federal government has downplayed the chances of an early election after vowing to take its union reforms to the polls if the Senate refuses to co-operate.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull fired the warning shot in the wake of a damning royal commission report detailing widespread misconduct by unions across the nation.

The government will reintroduce laws previously rejected by the Senate to re-establish the Australian Building and Construction Commission in February and wants it passed before the end of March.

It will also reintroduce a stronger version of laws rejected by the Senate to set up a registered organisations commission, as recommended by Commissioner Dyson Heydon in his final report on union corruption on Wednesday.

Employment Minister Michaelia Cash echoed the prime minister's words on Thursday, saying the extent of lawlessness among unions was "mind-boggling" and undeniable.

But while the government is prepared to fight an election on its reforms, "that does not mean it'll be a double dissolution".

"I want that to be very, very clear," she told ABC radio on Thursday.

The government already has a double dissolution trigger in relation to its registered organisations bill.

Senator Cash believes crossbenchers who previously rejected the laws but indicated they were awaiting the commission's final report will be swayed by the evidence.

Crossbench senator David Leyonhjelm says there's a "fair chance" the ABCC bill might pass.

He's told the ABC he'd be prepared to support it if it was subject to an eight-year sunset clause.

Senator Cash says the government stands by its legislation but insists she's prepared to talk to the crossbench.

Crossbench senator Jacqui Lambie, who previously rejected the registered organisations bill, says she will seek a meeting with Mr Turnbull before making any decision.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten welcomed the challenge of an election fight on industrial relations.

"Bring it on," he tweeted.

"We won on WorkChoices and we'll win again."

He accused the government of using the royal commission as a "smokescreen" for an attack on penalty rates.

"At the core of the Liberals and their political ideology is a desire to destroy the ability of unions to effectively represent workers, making it easier to rip away pay and conditions like penalty rates," he said.