Urgent foreign policy issues like Ebola and Iraq will joust for attention with business red tape cuts as parliament resumes for a fortnight of sittings.
A backlog of legislation in the Senate won't get any attention in the first week, as estimates hearings take up the time of senators and senior government officials.
Behind the scenes, the Greens are angling for a meeting with Prime Minister Tony Abbott to discuss the government's Direct Action plan and keeping the renewable energy target in place.
With Mr Abbott in Jakarta for the presidential inauguration of Joko Widodo on Monday, Labor will quiz government frontbenchers on issues ranging from the Ebola response to university fee hikes.
On Wednesday, the government will introduce a series of bills to cut business red tape ahead of the second Repeal Day on October 29.
The bills are aimed at taking a total of $1 billion a year in regulation and redundant laws off the back of business, industry, farmers and charities.
Environment Minister Greg Hunt wants the Senate, in the second week of the sitting fortnight, to pass laws to roll out the government's $2.55 billion Direct Action climate plan.
He has held talks with the Greens but leader Christine Milne has sought a meeting with Mr Abbott.
Senator Milne told AAP the legislation will be a "step in the right direction" as far as carbon farming goes.
But the party wants a guarantee the government will keep in place the renewable energy target of 20 per cent of electricity being generated by renewables by 2020.
"Absolutely critical for the Greens is keeping the RET as it is," Senator Milne said.
"Any browning down of the RET will further erode confidence and end large scale investment."
The RET is likely to come under scrutiny at Senate estimates environment hearings on Monday.
The rollout of the national broadband network, cuts to the ABC, jobs in the submarine industry and the sale of Medibank Private are all topics for hearings on Tuesday.
Treasury officials will be grilled on the budget on Wednesday.
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