Backflips, censures and swansongs: Wrapping up a weird week in parliament

Just 12 hours after the Budget was announced in Parliament, the Coalition had made their first spending backflip.

It was an embarrassing correction after what should be the government's night of nights.

"There's nothing normal about changing the Budget on Budget Day," Labor Senator Penny Wong said this Wednesday.

Federal Budgets are as old as Australia itself, but "nothing normal" could be used to describe the entire last week of Parliament.

And with Prime Minister Scott Morrison tipped to call an election this weekend, we may be calling time on one of the oddest few months in Canberra's history.

The budget in five quotes

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg: "The last time the Labor party delivered a surplus I had a mullet."

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten on the Coalition’s tax policy: "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."

Penny Wong to Finance Minister Mathias Cormann: "Self-praise is no praise, I always tell my daughters."

Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Labor's plan to buy carbon credits from Kazakhstan: "Some may call this a carbon tax. I call it the Borat tax."

This reporter to a tax office bureaucrat during the Budget lock-up: "Surely this should say million and not billion, right?" (Yes, the Australian governments is spending $1 billion over four years to hunt down tax dodgers – you were warned.)

The morning-after

There was none of the post-Budget cheer on Wednesday morning. No Peter Costello-style swagger from Mr Frydenberg.

Instead the Treasurer was forced into an awkward correction on the Energy Assistance Package.

Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen lambasted Mr Frydenberg in Parliament on Wednesday for the sudden change.

"The Treasurer caved into Labor and backflipped, saying Australians on Newstart will now receive the energy supplement," Mr Bowen said.

"The government's backflip has already blown an $80 million hole in the budget."

The government was keen to point out it included the biggest tax cuts since the Howard government.

None have mentioned that John Howard's generous 2007 budget didn't stop Kevin Rudd from routing him later that year.

The censure

The government and the opposition have endured some withering criticism from the media this week.

But the strongest words came from the politicians themselves, when making their official censure of independent Senator Fraser Anning.

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann: "Senator Anning's comments were ugly and divisive. They were dangerous and unacceptable from anyone, let alone a member of this place.”

Greens leader Richard Di Natale: "He has shown himself to be a pathetic man lacking any empathy.”

Labor Senator Penny Wong: "How pathetic. How shameful. A shameful and pathetic attempt by a bloke who has never been elected to get attention by exploiting diversity as a fault line for political advantage."

The swansong

Few politicians have handled the rough-and-tumble of Question Time with more relish than Christopher Pyne.

So it was only fitting that his valedictory speech on Thursday included plenty of laughs and a few tears.

"To the chagrin of a few and the joy of many, maybe even some in this place, I am retiring from the Australian parliament," he said.

His short remarks contained quotes from the Bible, Franklin Roosevelt, Plato and yes, Tony Abbott.

Plus one of his own remarks is going to go down as its own classic quote.

"I've had a fortunate life. I don't have a log cabin story like so many people in this place ... although I once did have to get my own lemon for a gin and tonic," he said to the roar of the chamber.

He was farewelled with embraces and handshakes from his colleagues, including a particularly enthusiastic bear hug from Labor's Anthony Albanese.

Mr Pyne will be missed.

The Budget reply

The last time Labor took the government from the Coalition, they did so by throwing their weight behind the Budget tax cuts.

Bill Shorten seems to be doing one better. He isn't trying to copy the government. He's claiming the government is copying him.

"Last year we proposed about a $1000 tax refund for 10 million wage earners," he said in the wake of the budget.

"The government's seen the wisdom of that position."

Yarralumla looming

When this journalist called the PM's office for a tip-off on when the election would be called, it generated a very hearty laugh from the media liaison.

But the consensus is Mr Morrison will be heading to the governor-general's house this weekend.

From there we will enter an election campaign for the next five to seven weeks. That's when this Canberra circus goes on tour.

The Coalition will be hoping the Budget will give them a boost.

But Nine political editor Chris Uhlmann was sceptical.

"While the Budget might be returning to surplus the trust deficit is as deep as it has ever been and it’s doubtful a fistful of dollars can now buy that trust back."