And the opposition is fuming.

Senior Labor MP Chris Bowen demanded debate be "shut down immediately" after assistant minister Michael Sukkar briefly left the chamber.

"You were not here. You were outside, everybody saw it," Mr Bowen shouted after Mr Sukkar denied he was missing the debate.

Tony Burke, the manager of opposition business, sought to overrule deputy speaker Kevin Hogan's decision to overlook the absence.

It was Mr Hogan's personal responsibility to, in parliamentary terms, "collapse the house" if the government is not present, he says.

It is a requirement for the functioning of the lower house that a member of the executive - cabinet and ministers - be present at all times when it is in session.

But Mr Hogan said rules were clear that a short absence of a minister could go unremarked.

A sheepish-looking Mr Sukkar got a pat on the back from colleague Christopher Pyne - who himself returned quickly to the chamber - as Mr Bowen resumed debate by dubbing Mr Sukkar "one job Michael".

When Mr Sukkar returned to his feet he accused the opposition of wasting time to win tactical points.

Australian Associated Press