Malcolm Turnbull has read the riot act to missing-in-action coalition MPs whose absence from parliament allowed Labor to inflict an embarrassing defeat on the government.
The MPs, including three ministers, did the wrong thing by thinking they could get an early mark on Thursday, he said.
"I've read the riot act to them, their colleagues will all read the riot act to them. They'll get the riot act read to them more often than just about anyone could imagine," he told Neil Mitchell on radio 3AW on Friday.
The federal government has admitted it stuffed up the end of the first week of the new parliament amid confusion and embarrassment for the coalition.
Labor exploited the government's slim majority in the lower house when it used the absence of several coalition MPs late on Thursday to win three procedural votes and almost secure a majority for its call for a royal commission into bank misconduct.
WATCH: SBS Political Correspondent Daniela Ritorto explains what happened in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon
"There is no doubt what happened late yesterday afternoon was a stuff-up," a chastened Leader of the House Christopher Pyne told the Nine Network on Friday.
Those MPs who were not there obviously learned a valuable lesson, he said.
"It's a salutary lesson for anyone who went home before the house rose yesterday afternoon."
Mr Pyne said the missing government MPs, who included at least two ministers initially, had not been given permission to leave early.
One of those ministers, Michael Keenan, was on a flight out of Canberra when Labor tested the government's numbers.
"It's a decision that I shouldn't have taken and obviously I'm sorry that I did," he told ABC radio.
The minister was on his way to Melbourne after receiving late-breaking advice about a significant federal police operation, but said despite it being a work-related matter it was no excuse.
Mr Keenan returned to Canberra to speak to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who made it clear it was unacceptable.
"I accept that," the minister said.
"I've never missed a division and I won't be missing any in future."
Mr Pyne attempted to play down the seriousness of the lost votes which Labor used to show-up the coalition's claim it has a working majority in the House of Representatives.
It was the first time in more than 50 years a majority government has lost a vote on the floor of the house.
"People out there in the community are more worried about jobs, more worried about feeding themselves and their children than they are about three adjournment votes," Mr Pyne said.
Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese described the events as a farce.
"If you can't run the parliament, you can't run the country," he said.
"We were in control during three years of minority government, each and every day of the parliament. This mob with a majority government couldn't get through three days."
Former prime minister Tony Abbott said the government would study the outcome.
"There's a sense in which all of us are learning lessons all the time - whether you're a journalist, a member of parliament, a whip or even a prime minister.
"I'm sure there will be lessons that everyone will learn out of this week."
Cabinet minister Mathias Cormann said the coalition should expect Labor to pull stunts.
"It's not for me to point the finger," he told Sky News.
"We need to be on our guard at all times."
Cabinet colleague George Brandis said Labor got away with a "gotcha moment" stunt because of the coalition's ill discipline.
Manager of opposition business Tony Burke said Labor had been acting in good faith to help the banking victims.
"You have to be pretty arrogant when you're claiming you've got a working majority with a majority of one to not hang around 'till the end of the day," he said.
In an equally embarrassing development for the Prime Minister, the two Lower House independents who promised to support stability in the 45th Parliament voted in support of the Labor Party.
Independent MPs Andrew Wilkie and Cathy McGowan had said they would support a stable Coalition government and parliament but ruled out making any specific deals with the Prime Minister earlier this year.
But, along with minor party politicians Bob Katter and Rebekha Sharkie, they voted in support of Labor’s moves to establish an immediate banking Royal Commission.
It meant Labor’s move to bring on a public inquiry into the banking sector was within one vote of succeeding.
With the votes tied yesterday afternoon, Liberal Speaker Tony Smith cast his deciding vote with the No-camp to allow further debate and for the government to round up more of its politicians.
