Parliament to return for trial week in May

Federal parliament will meet for its ordinary business in May, although it is likely to still be a cut-down version that practises social distancing.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the week-long sitting, yet to be agreed with the opposition, would be a trial.

"It is important that parliament goes about that work and we are in a position to do so," he told reporters in Canberra on Thursday.

"So I look forward to parliament being able to resume and continue to do the legislative work that it does."

Since early March, politicians have only returned to Canberra twice for single sitting days called to deal with specific coronavirus-related legislation.

It abandoned six scheduled sitting weeks between March and August.

But Mr Morrison said that as the nation slowly moved towards a return to normalcy, it was important parliament did so too.

"But obviously we just need to trial how that is going to work," he said.

Logistical problems that need working out include the fact there aren't many flights running at the moment and several states have border closures in place.

The prime minister flagged the parliament would likely sit with fewer members physically in Canberra, so as to comply with social distancing requirements.