Hurdles remain for Labor despite year-ending wins

The parliamentary year might have ended with a flurry of bills and last-minute legislative wins for the government but several obstacles will follow Labor into 2025.

And that's all before the timing of the next federal election is considered.

More than 30 bills passed in a marathon final day of sitting for 2024, with reforms including a social media ban for children, manufacturing incentives and immigration detention measures becoming law.

However, other reforms were left to allow the government to potentially reach deals and see them through when parliament resumes in February ahead of a federal election due by May at the latest.

They include changes to how much people can donate to political candidates, which were expected to pass by the end of 2024 before being scuppered when a deal between Labor and the coalition fell apart at the 11th hour.

The measures would have imposed a limit of $20,000 on individual donations to a party's state or federal branch and required donations of more than $1000 to be disclosed in real time.

The donations reforms would have come into effect by 2026 but the government wanted the measures passed as soon as possible to allow the Australian Electoral Commission time to adapt.

Long-awaited environmental laws have also been placed on the backburner until 2025 after a deal between the government and the Greens fell apart.

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek and the Greens had reportedly reached a deal to set up a national environment watchdog but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese intervened to veto the agreement.

The future of long-awaited gambling reforms also appears uncertain ahead of the next election.

The government has yet to unveil its response to a landmark report by late Labor MP Peta Murphy calling for a phase-out of gambling advertising within three years.

More than a year since the report was handed down, the government is under fire for failing to formalise its response despite racing through other landmark changes such as the social media ban.

Plans to legislate an increase in taxes on superannuation balances of more than $3 million have also been abandoned

However, the government is optimistic it can legislate production tax incentives for renewable hydrogen and critical minerals projects as part of its Future Made in Australia strategy after the measures passed the House of Representatives on Thursday.

While the timing of the next election remains unclear, voters must head to the polls by May 17.

Mr Albanese has poured cold water over suggestions parliament might not return in 2025 and instead head straight into an election, saying MPs would return for sittings in February.

However, the festive break might not be as restful as many had hoped, with the major parties neck-and-neck in the polls and Mr Albanese telling MPs on Tuesday "we need to continue campaigning over summer".