With the Coalition facing a series of challenges in a parliament it barely controls, Cabinet Secretary Arthur Sinodinos is keen to talk about what wins the government has achieved.
"The last week, you would have seen that the government's been on the front foot, getting legislation passed."
But what will not be passed is the controversial same-sex marriage plebiscite.
The government is persevering despite that, with debate on the bill to continue in parliament this week and, Arthur Sinodinos says, no other plan in place.
"The Plan B, C, D, E is to keep persisting with getting this through the Senate."
Legislation to enable a plebiscite is due to be introduced into parliament this week, even as the opposition promises to vote against it.
Labor says it will continue to pursue a free vote in parliament to legalise gay marriage.
Deputy opposition leader Tanya Plibersek acknowledges blocking the national vote could mean delaying the prospect of same-sex marriage for years.
"The overwhelming message was that, yes, people support marriage equality but not in this way."
She also accepts allowing a free vote in parliament could jeopardise same-sex marriage supporter Malcolm Turnbull's leadership of a deeply divided Coalition.
Plibersek: "That is his problem. He should be allowed, as prime minister, to do what his heart and his head tell him is the right thing."
Reporter: "Even if it costs him his job."
Plibersek: "No. They should back their prime minister on an issue of principle for him."
Arthur Sinodinos says the Coalition is staying on course to deliver an election promise with the plebiscite and has urged Labor to let it proceed.
"The fact is, in all political parties from time to time, you have to make agreements so you can keep the party position as one. I'm really just, I suppose, asking Tanya Plibersek, Anthony Albanese, Bill Shorten, all the rest of them, to let us keep our promises. That is a promise. We can have a plebiscite very quickly, by February next year, if they're prepared to keep this promise."
Labor senator Penny Wong says leading Liberals in favour of same-sex marriage should be working inside the party to scrap the plebiscite deal.
But she has defended her own arguments against marriage equality in 2010 when that was the Labor government's policy.
"When you're a Cabinet minister, you're bound to support the position. But what you should do is change the position, because the position is wrong."
Labor's position agreed upon at last year's national conference is that MPs will have a conscience vote on the issue until 2019.
After that, they will be bound to support it, regardless of their personal views.
That has become less of an issue with one of Labor's main opponents of same-sex marriage, party powerbroker Don Farrell, telling SBS he will not push to change that.
