Sexual assault allegations could see signfiicant government work delayed.

As the toxic workplace culture around Australia's federal Parliament House continues to unravel, reporters have revealed more details of the tragic destruction of human potential that comes alongside sexist and illegal behaviour.

Meanwhile, the politicians at the centre of recent sexual assault scandals have disappeared from the public eye. 

Defence Minister Linda Reynolds is taking another month off work, after going on leave in the wake of allegation of sexual assault in her office, saying she had been advised by her heart specialist that an existing cardiovascular condition needed attention. That period of leave has now been extended for another month.

She will not attend the next parliamentary sitting week of face scrutiny by Senate estimates, leaving the acting minister, Senator Marise Payne, to answer questions on key priorities in the portfolio.

Senator Payne is expected to take charge of the troubled $90 billion submarine program and the ADF’s response to the Brereton war crimes report.

Attorney-General Christian Porter is also on leave, after admitting he was the subject of separate sexual assault allegations.

With the two missing, the government is expected to pause proceedings on ­industrial relations reforms next week, but business groups say small businesses must not become “collateral damage”.

The absences could see the planned vote on workplace changes delayed until at least May.

Business groups say it is critical that the bill becomes law before JobKeeper winds up at the end of March.

Senator Reynolds’ ­absence may also delay the signing of a new contract with French submarine-builder Naval Group, which has yet to officially sign papers for its promised 60 per cent Australian content in the new ships. 

Delays should hit the Defence Department’s response to the Brereton ­inquiry too, which requires ministerial oversight of key decisions on senior officer ­accountability and any decision to strip unit citations and medals.

Senator Payne will be the one to face a potential barrage of Defence-related questions in an upcoming Senate estimates hearing.

“We expect the Acting ­Defence Minister Marise Payne must be accessible and co-operative with the Senate, especially during the upcoming Senate estimates session,” opposition defence spokesperson Brendan O’Connor said over the weekend.

“There are serious questions that are unanswered about a range of Defence issues, including the mishandled $90 billion submarine program.”

Meanwhile, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s industrial relations director, Scott Barklamb, says industrial relations changes are “too urgent to be allowed to be caught up in the Attorney-General taking leave”.

“With JobKeeper ending in a matter of weeks, small business owners still struggling with restrictions and reduced trade cannot be the collateral damage of politicians being focused elsewhere,” he said.

Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox has warned “opportunistic calls to delay a vote on the IR omnibus bill need to be rejected”.