The day in federal parliament

TODAY IN FEDERAL PARLIAMENT

* Both the House of Representatives and Senate are sitting on Thursday.

* Question time in both chambers at 2pm.

WHAT'S MAKING NEWS

* Australians have until August 24 to register to vote in the same-sex marriage postal plebiscite with papers being distributed to all enrolled Australians from next month.

* Lobbyists on both sides of the marriage equality debate will be free to distribute misleading and deceptive material ahead of the same-sex marriage postal vote, because the usual campaign rules have been discarded.

* Parliament has referred a fourth senator to the High Court, with Pauline Hanson bowing to pressure over claims One Nation colleague Malcolm Roberts was a dual citizen at the 2016 federal election.

* A Labor senator has told Pauline Hanson she does not deserve her place in federal parliament following a "racist rant" against Muslims.

* The government is set to make several changes to draft laws aimed at better controlling threats of espionage, foreign interference and sabotage of Australia's telecommunications sector.

WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA

* The House of Reps: Government introduces new legislation. MPs debate government bills including for tighter citizenship laws

* Senate: Senators debate private bills on small business access to justice; addressing inequality; resume debate on changes to tobacco tax; protecting vulnerable workers.

ARGY-BARGY

* Government spin: We're making sure electricity retailers provide consumers, families, households, businesses with the means to getting a better deal on power bills

* Opposition attack: Why is the prime minister wasting $122 million of taxpayers money on a pointless and unnecessary postal plebiscite on same-sex marriage when he could use that money to help fund this year's energy supplement for 334,000 pensioners?

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

"Keeping promises is money well spent." - Treasurer Scott Morrison says of the $122 million cost of a postal ballot on same-sex marriage.

TWEETED

@BetootaAdvocate: Tony Abbott Shocked That His Sister And Her Housemate Support Gay Marriage.