Controversial environment reforms and hot air from the backbench are set to steal the spotlight as MPs return to Canberra for parliament.

PARLIAMENT

*Revamped environment laws to establish a federal Environmental Protection Agency and force stiffer penalties on companies that breach climate laws, including fines up to $825 million, are set to be introduced.

*Labor faces an uphill battle in the Senate, with neither the coalition or the Greens - one of which the government will need to pass the legislation - onboard with the reforms.

*The coalition is likely to go on the attack over Labor's handling of Optus' deadly triple-zero outage.

*Communications Minister Anika Wells is spearheading urgent legislation to create a Triple Zero Custodian to oversee emergency call networks, which the o

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