Senate votes down ABCC bill

The federal government has been handed an early election trigger after legislation to restore the building industry watchdog was defeated.

Australian Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove speaks during the reopening of Parliament in the Senate chamber at Parliament House in Canberra, Monday, April 18 Source: AAP

Legislation to restore the building industry watchdog has been defeated, handing the federal government a double dissolution election trigger.

The bills were defeated 36-34 in the Senate on Monday night, with crossbenchers Jacqui Lambie, Glenn Lazarus, Ricky Muir and John Madigan siding with Labor and the Greens.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has vowed to use a second rejection of the bills as a trigger for a double-dissolution election on July 2.