Labor has made a third attempt to censure the prime minister over his inaction against embattled minister Mal Brough.
The failed opposition move came on the final day of parliament, delaying Malcolm Turnbull's valedictory speech in which he summed up the government's year.
Shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus told parliament Mr Turnbull could not ignore Mr Brough's "admission to a serious crime" in a television interview.
On the 60 Minutes program aired last year the minister said he had asked James Ashby - a then staffer to speaker Peter Slipper - to procure copies of his employer's office diary.
Mr Brough said this was warranted because Mr Slipper was suspected of committing fraud against the commonwealth - a claim rejected by a court earlier this year on the former Speaker's appeal.
Federal police are investigating the Ashby-Brough matter, which carries a penalty of two years in jail.
Mr Brough - whose home was raided by police executing a warrant on November 17 - reneged on what he said in the interview when asked about it in parliament on Wednesday.
"What does it take for the prime minster to act - he doesn't have the judgment (to say) that enough is enough," Mr Dreyfus told parliament on Thursday.
Mr Dreyfus said the ministerial guidelines were clear.
Liberal frontbencher Simon Birmingham said it was important police be allowed to investigate the matter.
"I actually think in terms of what the Australian people care about, they'd like to know that the government is much more focused on things like these childcare reforms than on something to do with Peter Slipper's diary," he told ABC TV.
Cabinet colleague Barnaby Joyce took aim at Mr Dreyfus.
"It's ridiculous for people to try and be the sort of Rumpole of the Bailey inside the chamber," he told reporters in Canberra.
Liberal Democrat David Leyonhjelm doesn't see what all the fuss is about.
"I am not sure I give a stuff about it to be honest. It is not a mortal offence," the senator said.
Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese compared Mr Turnbull's reluctance to act on Mr Brough to Tony Abbott standing by Bronwyn Bishop, after the then Speaker chartered a helicopter at taxpayer expense to attend a Liberal Party function.
"I'm not sure that when the police investigation is finished here that it won't make the Bronwyn Bishop issue pale into insignificance," he said.
Liberal frontbencher Scott Ryan said the fact that Labor was "making noise" about Mr Brough did not mean he was guilty of anything.
"I have absolutely no doubt the prime minister conducted due diligence on this," he told ABC TV.
