Labor has secured two days of hearings to scrutinise the May 3 budget before the country goes into full election mode.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull confirmed on Tuesday the government would pull the trigger on a double-dissolution election after the budget was handed down.
The opposition says Mr Turnbull has recalled parliament to engineer an early election, but the government's policies won't go unchecked.
Senator Penny Wong says Labor won't let Mr Turnbull run to the polls without scrutinising his tax hikes and cuts to hospitals and schools.
"Parliament is not a plaything of this unelected prime minister," the leader of the opposition in the Senate told AAP.
The opposition notched up several wins on Tuesday night, after gaining the Senate's support to suspend standing orders and vary the chamber's schedule so all formal motions could be dealt with.
Among them was backing to set aside two days to scrutinise the budget, on May 5 and 6, and for an inquiry into entities associated with political parties, including a provision that Cabinet Secretary Arthur Sinodinos be directed to appear before the committee and answer questions.
Senator Wong said Senator Sinodinos had serious questions to answer regarding political donations and his involvement with the Free Enterprise Foundation.
The NSW Electoral Commission is refusing to pay the Liberals more than $4.4 million until it reveals the secret donors who poured about $700,000 into the party's coffers ahead of the 2011 state election.
Senator Sinodinos was the party's treasurer and finance director at the time and has unsuccessfully sought a retraction from the commission.
Attorney-General George Brandis warned directing Senator Sinodinos to appear before the committee would set a "shocking" precedent.
"That is unprecedented and a violation of a very fundamental parliamentary principle."
LABOR WON SENATE BACKING ON TUESDAY FOR:
* To set aside two days to scrutinise the budget, on May 5 and 6.
* For an inquiry into entities associated with political parties, including a provision that Cabinet Secretary Arthur Sinodinos be directed to appear before the committee and answer questions.
* For an inquiry into the outcomes of the latest Council of Australian Governments meeting between the prime minister and premiers.
* To call on Mr Turnbull to establish a royal commission into the financial services industry.
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