The day in federal parliament

TODAY IN FEDERAL PARLIAMENT

* The House of Representatives only is sitting this week.

* Senate committees are quizzing bureaucrats and ministers in budget estimates hearings.

WHAT'S MAKING NEWS * The attorney-general has defended ASIO chief Duncan Lewis over his claim there were no links between refugees and terror.

* One Nation says it will veto "all bills associated with the budget" except the Medicare levy, unless ABC funding is axed.

* As Labor steps up its attack on the government's schools funding plan, the prime minister says Catholic educators must explain how they distribute funding.

* China has been accused of becoming a bully in the Asia Pacific region by veteran US senator John McCain.

* Indian mining giant Adani says it has reached a royalties deal with the Queensland government.

* Movie and television star Paul Hogan denies he paid the taxation office millions of dollars to end a long-running battle over his tax affairs.

* The nation's top media executives are coming to Canberra in a rare show of unity in a bid to protect their industry by supporting a proposed shake-up of media laws.

* Indigenous Labor senator Pat Dodson says the work-for-the-dole scheme is driving poverty and crime in some remote indigenous communities and calls for "serious and radical reform".

WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA

* The House of Reps: The government introduces new legislation including for a quality and safeguards commission for national disability insurance scheme; ending the carbon tax supplement; allowing Clean Energy Finance Corporation Amendment to fund carbon capture and storage projects. MPs debate one-off energy supplement; accelerated depreciation for small business.

* Senate budget estimates hearings: Social Services; Treasury; Industry Innovation & Science; Education & Training; Foreign Affairs;

ARGY-BARGY

* Government spin: Only the coalition, not Labor, can be counted on to deliver better funding, better-targeted funding for 9000 schools across the country.

* Opposition attack: How is it fair that the government is cutting $22 billion from schools at the same time as you are giving $65 billion to big business in tax cuts?

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

"I certainly didn't pay them tens of millions so they would, just like, let me go without sending me to jail," - Celebrity Paul Hogan on an inference settled a long-running dispute with the tax office.

TWEETED

@billshortenmp: Of all the things to cut, why would you cut an iconic program that teaches kids how to be healthy? Mindless. #savehealthyharold