The week ended much in the same way it began with speculation that Australians could be heading to the polls much earlier than expected.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced his government plans to reform Senate voting to stop preference deals which aid smaller parties being elected.
"The system has been taken advantage of, there is no doubt about that. The last Senate election was widely criticised. Australians were astonished to see people elected to the Senate whose primary votes were a fraction in the case of one senator from Victoria."
That one Senator is Ricky Muir from the Motoring Enthusiast Party, famously elected on just 0.5 per cent of the vote.
Mr Muir didn't take too kindly to the accusation that he manipulated the voting system but believes the reforms will pass with the support of the Greens and independent South Australian Senator Nick Xenophon.
"I'm angry at the Coalition the Greens and even Senator Xenophon. I have a lot of respect for my colleagues and Senator Xenophon is certainly one of them. I did not game the system as a matter of fact I was a candidate and I stood up to represent the party and the people of Victoria."
Under the changes, the parties cannot lodge complicated preference deals.
The expected effect is major-party domination.
Crossbenchers used the week, aided by the media, to lash out.
Liberal Democrat David Leyonhjelm began what grew to a chorus of anger.
"It will be extraordinarily difficult if not impossible for the minor parties to ever win seats again in the senate."
Independent Senator Glenn Lazarus says the government wants complete control of the Senate.
"Yes a lot of legislation that this governments put up has been voted down by the crossbench but because it was rubbish. I mean this government has a real appetite to provide the big end of town with all the benefits that they can get through the Senate."
The Oppostion's chosen not to support the reforms but the party is facing criticism from within.
As the legislation was debated in the House, departing Labor MP Gary Gray spoke up.
"Mr Speaker I lost the argument in my party room on Senate reform so Labor will oppose the substantive reforms that are enshrined in this bill."
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Policy became the focus of each Question Time with Labor attacking the government over its mixed messaging on tax reform.
Opposition treasury spokesman Chris Bowen quizzed the Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
Bowen: "Will the Prime Minister rule out cutting capital gains tax discount for millions of Australian superannuation accounts?"
Turnbull: "What we are looking at is the whole superannuation scheme tax system...as you would expect in any responsible review of taxation."
It didn't take long for Question Time to disintegrate into trading insults on tax reform.
The Government attacked Labor's recently announced plan to tackle negative gearing, with Prime Minister Turnbull arguing the policy will lower house prices.
"It is the most ill-conceived, potentially destructive policy ever proposed by any Opposition. How could you do something so destructive as that?"
Assistant Treasurer Kelly O'Dwyer joined in on Channel 7's Sunrise program although contradicted the Prime Minister on house prices falling.
"The Labor Party has a very irresponsible campaign that they're running at the moment, they've got a policy that is going to increase the cost of housing for all Australians."
The PM appears to be backing away from major tax reform but did announce major defence spending.
Two years in the making, the Defence White Paper vows to increase the defence budget from $32.4 billion to $58.7 billion by 2026.
"This white paper is a plan to deliver a more potent and agile and engaged Defence Force."
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says the White Paper fails to answer an important question on where the submarines will be built.
"Has Malcolm Turnbull guaranteed that the 12 submarines will be built in Australia? That is a key question."
It's a key question expected to be answered in the middle of the year.
