Middle East conflict looms over parliament's return

Growing violence in the Middle East will cast a shadow over federal parliament as politicians return for the sitting week.

In the fortnight since the house last met, Israel has launched airstrikes into Lebanon before beginning an invasion, while Iran has fired dozens of missiles at Israel.

This escalation has fuelled tensions in Australia as thousands of protesters prepare to rally on the first anniversary of October 7, when designated terrorist group Hamas attacked Israel and reignited a decades-long conflict.

Many politicians will return to parliament on Tuesday, after attending candlelight vigils marking the occasion.

The Hamas attack killed 1200 people with another 200 taken hostage, according to the Israeli government.

Israel's subsequent bombing campaign and ground invasion of Gaza has killed more than 41,000, based on figures from local authorities.

And in the two weeks since Israel began striking Lebanon, more than 1000 people have died and another one million have been displaced.

Though the government and opposition remain united on calls for Australians in Lebanon to return home, their differing views on other aspects of the conflict and its impact at home are likely to dominate question time.

The cost of living will also remain a mainstay in the political debate as Labor hones in on the supermarket giants.

The consumer watchdog launched legal action against Coles and Woolworths in September, accusing them of misleading customers through discount pricing claims.

To incentivise the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to conduct more investigations into supermarket malpractice, the government has awarded it an additional $30 million.

The government is also cracking down on the practice of "shrinkflation", where products are sold for the same price after sizes have been reduced.

Most politicians agree action must be taken to ensure Australians can get a fair deal.

But the opposition say this should be achieved through divestiture while Labor warns this could impact jobs and supermarket accessibility in regional areas.

Meanwhile, the government's long-awaited aged care reforms will finally go up for debate.

Under the proposal, a $4.3 billion program called the Support at Home scheme would allow the government to cover clinical care costs to allow people to live independently in their homes for longer, before going into an aged-care facility.

Debate is also likely to flare over a proposed misinformation bill, which critics claim could impact free speech on social media platforms.

The prime minister's sitting week will be cut short as he heads to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Laos.