By chief political correspondent Emma Griffiths
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A tumultuous first week of the new Parliament came to an end on Thursday with the Government stymied in its bid to raise the debt ceiling and facing mounting pressure over its control of information about asylum seekers.
Reprising a favourite tactic of Tony Abbott while in Opposition, Labor called on a motion to suspend standing orders in the final minutes of the television broadcast of Question Time.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten interrupted questions to condemn Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Immigration Minister Scott Morrison over the Government's clampdown on details about asylum seeker boat arrivals and detention issues.
Mr Shorten told Parliament the Government is "addicted to secrecy" and "hiding behind the military".
"Everything's operational. Everything's to do with the military. Everything's on a boat. Everything is on the water, and he is at sea," he said of Mr Morrison.
Mr Morrison has refused to answer Opposition questions in Parliament this week, invoking his commitment to only address issues publicly at a weekly briefing - due later today - alongside the military commander of Operation Sovereign Borders.
"The communications protocols about what happens within Operation Sovereign Borders, which are tactical on-water operations and things of that nature, these are not things canvassed publicly, Madam Speaker, because to do so would seek to assist people smugglers get people on boats," he said.
Everything's operational. Everything's to do with the military. Everything's on a boat. Everything is on the water, and he is at sea.
Bill Shorten
In one of a series of Opposition questions about asylum seekers, Mr Shorten's deputy Tanya Plibersek asked how many boats had been successfully turned back to Indonesia since the election.
Mr Morrison's explanation prompted her to interject that "If the number is zero, then just say it", but she was forced by the Speaker Bronwyn Bishop to withdraw the last phrase.
"It's not my sort of language," Mrs Bishop said.
In response to a question from his own side of the Chamber, Mr Morrison highlighted that the return of Temporary Protection Visas for refugees - a Howard government measure that was abolished by the Rudd government.
The Greens say they will move a motion to block the regulation in the Senate, but Labor has not decided how it will vote.
Video: Bill Shorten accuses Government of being 'addicted to secrecy' (ABC News)
Mr Morrison has told Parliament that it shows Labor is still clearly divided on asylum seeker policy.
"Any and every measure to deter boat arrivals will always be more effective in the hands of a Coalition government... than in the hands of Labor who are double-minded, divided and always deferring to the Greens," he said.
The Opposition motion was defeated - as expected.
However, Labor is having more luck with its move to thwart the Government over a $200 billion increase to the nation's debt ceiling.
The Government wants to raise the debt cap to half a trillion dollars, but Labor and the Greens have joined forces in the Senate to amend the plan and impose a lower limit of $400 billion.
The amended legislation was knocked back in the Lower House and will return to the Senate when it next sits in early December.
Hockey warns of US-style shutdown over debt ceiling
Treasurer Joe Hockey has raised the prospect of a US-style government shut-down, warning there will have to be "massive" spending cuts if the Opposition doesn't back down on increasing the debt ceiling.
Photo: Joe Hockey warned the Government could face a US-style shutdown if Labor and the Greens refuse to budge over the debt ceiling. (AAP: Daniel Munoz)
But the Opposition wants the Treasurer to release his department's budget update, the Mid-year Economic and Fiscal Outlook, before it will approve any more.
In response, Mr Hockey has told Parliament that the MYEFO will not be released until the September national accounts come in early next month.
The standoff must be resolved by December 12, when the current debt limit of $300 billion is set to be reached.
The most recent Treasury figures, released before the election, had forecast debt peaking at $370 billion in 2015-16.
Reprising Labor's argument from its time in office, Mr Hockey says the Government also needs a buffer of between $40 billion and $60 billion.
Treasury spokesman Chris Bowen says Mr Hockey is "behaving like a B-grade actor trying to confect this crisis".
The Government also introduced legislation to toughen penalties for union officials found to be corrupt and to re-establish the Australian Building and Construction Commission - both areas that will provide another flashpoint between the major parties.
The House of Representatives will sit again on Monday, while Senators will attend the first week of Senate estimates for the new Government.
