Josh Frydenberg fuels speculation over Gladys Berejiklian’s next move

There is speculation Gladys Berejiklian could be parachuted into a federal seat despite the corruption investigation into her actions as NSW Premier.

Parliament is over for 2021 as politicians prepare for the federal election in either March or May.

Fittingly perhaps, it ended the way it began with explosive allegations and new disclosures about a toxic workplace and the treatment of women.

Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe horrified the chamber by yelling at a female senator "at least I keep my legs shut".

Meanwhile, a Victorian Liberal senator was forced to deny that he had barked like a dog while Jacqui Lambie was speaking.

The week began, however, with the release of Kate Jenkins' report into the parliamentary workplace, sparked by former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins.

It made for brutal reading, with more women coming forward on the condition of anonymity to reveal they had been raped, sexually harassed and subjected to unacceptable behaviour at work.

Just days later, a man who insists he was the subject of a false allegation of sexual assault departed politics.

Former attorney-general Christian Porter made a quiet exit, expressing his anger over the "harshness" of politics and the use of unproven allegations to derail his career.

His friend, Education Minister Alan Tudge, headed for the exits just 24 hours later.

But unlike Mr Porter, this exit wasn't planned. Mr Tudge stood aside after fresh allegations emerged about his extramarital affair with former press secretary Rachelle Miller.

The door remains open, the Prime Minister insisted, to Mr Tudge returning to his portfolio if he is cleared by the inquiry.

Mr Tudge completely rejects any suggestion the relationship was abusive and reckons he will hand over his text messages with Rachelle Miller to prove it.

Health Minister Greg Hunt also announced he will not contest the next election. A woman called Zoe Daniels is the frontrunner to replace him.

Is he jabbed or not? The aptly named Senator Alex Antic has been locked up in Adelaide's medi-hotel cells for a fortnight after playing coy on whether he is vaccinated or not.

Not content to cause chaos in parliament this week after he refused to vote on key legislation unless the Prime Minister did something about state-based vaccine mandates, he flew out of Canberra on Thursday night and straight into controversy after he was led through the airport by police.

Scott Morrison insisted he was doubled vaccinated. But if he is, he wouldn't have ended up in quarantine. So somebody is telling porkies.

Labor leader Anthony Albanese waited until Friday to unveil his big new policy: a tougher target on emissions reduction by 2030.

He says the Prime Minister hasn't gone far enough. The Greens counter that Labor has squibbed it, and will push for more if Labor wins the election by a whisker and needs their support.

Meanwhile, the Omicron variant continues to play havoc with state border closures. But the Prime Minister dropped a hint that the decision to dump the December 1 re-opening of international borders without an exemption could be short-lived.