Parliament's spring session begins on Tuesday with the Abbott government still locked in difficult negotiations over unpopular budget measures.
After weeks of talk about deficit and debt emergencies only one budget measure has been listed for debate this week.
The Senate will consider legislation that increases the co-payment on taxpayer-funded prescription medicines.
The measure will be the first test of support for other health changes, especially the proposed $7 Medicare co-payment which is opposed by all but the government in the Senate.
But a number of cross-bench senators say the federal government is considering combining the GP co-payment with the pharmaceutical safety net, in order to get it through the senate.
The coalition is still struggling to win support for its budget measures from the Senate.
Democratic Labour Party's John Madigan told the ABC while he's unhappy with most of the budget measures he could reach a compromise on plans to increase fuel exise.
"Possibly we can do something with fuel indexation, maybe - question mark," he said.
"But I haven't seen anything as yet. But I'm willing to listen. With the GP co-payment.. I'm happy, my family, we're happy to pay the GP co-payment, because I can afford it. But what about the people who can't?"
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