A double-dissolution election in July looks increasingly unlikely after the Turnbull government conceded it has run out of time for a Senate vote on a key piece of legislation.
The government had been keen to have the upper house vote on a bill that restores the building industry watchdog and use its rejection a second time as a double-dissolution trigger.
Instead it will now concentrate on securing changes to the way Australians vote for the Senate before parliament rises for the pre-budget break the week after next.
"Our judgment is that this will take all of the usually-available government time in the Senate and more," Finance Minister Mathias Cormann told Sky News on Friday.
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The government would deal with the Australian Building and Construction Commission bill when parliament returns on May 10.
But finalising a Senate vote before the deadline for calling a double-dissolution election - May 11 - looks beyond the government's control because it lacks the numbers in the upper house.
The government has two other bills it can use as a trigger: one for abolition of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation and a second for tougher governance rules for trade unions.
Employment Minister Michaelia Cash, who is overseeing the ABCC legislation, said it remained a "fundamental priority" for the government.
"It remains on the notice paper and I would like to see it passed," she told reporters in Melbourne.
But she too conceded Senate voting changes would take precedence.
