Nationals deputy leader Bridget McKenzie expects the government's "big stick" energy legislation to come back before parliament in April.
Scott Morrison on Thursday shelved the legislation - aimed at forcibly divesting energy companies - after the Greens secured support from Labor and the crossbench to amend the bill and effectively ban the government from underwriting new coal-fired power.
The prime minister would have lost a vote on the legislation in the House of Representatives, handing his government another embarrassing defeat.
Even still, Senator McKenzie expects the legislation to be dealt with before the next federal election, which is due in May.
"My understanding is it's our intention as a government to introduce that legislation in the April sittings," she told Sky News on Friday.
"It's part of our policy, it's part of ensuring Australian consumers can have confidence that big, multi-national energy companies will be held to account."
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