Prime Minister Julia Gillard says she "absolutely" still has the support of Labor MPs as she faces calls from within her party for the leadership issue to be resolved through another Caucus ballot this week.

Parliament has resumed for the final sitting week before the election and is therefore the final chance for Labor MPs to vote on any spill of the leadership roles.

Talk of a Kevin Rudd return has also been fuelled by another round of dire polling showing Labor's primary vote has fallen to 29 per cent.

It is down one point in today's Newspoll, a drop which is well within the three-point margin of error, but that will do nothing to allay the concerns of Labor MPs about the coming electoral disaster.

When peppered with questions about the leadership, Ms Gillard repeatedly said "that was settled in March", referring to the last stoush with Mr Rudd in which he failed to challenge.

"The focus for me this week is on our schools reforms which are in the Senate," Ms Gillard said, in her first comments in several days on the leadership question.

"What I want to leave this week having achieved is better schools for our nation, which means a better future for our nation. That'll be my focus.

"Now, you may choose to focus on something else but that's exactly what I'll be focused on.

"I'm getting on with the job - the things that really matter."

Senior figures call for issue to be resolved

But Cabinet minister Greg Combet, who says he supports the Prime Minister, has called for the leadership issue to be resolved this week.

"Kevin Rudd does need to decide what he's going to do here," he told Radio National.

"But we cannot come out of this final week of Parliament with this speculation continuing all the way to the election.

"It's just got to be resolved."

Mr Combet says the "ball is in Kevin Rudd's court" because Ms Gillard is not going to step down and neither will any of her senior colleagues tap her on the shoulder.

"If Kevin Rudd wants to challenge, it is available to him to do so and ultimately that's for the Caucus to decide," he said.

"But we must put this to bed."

Trade Minister Craig Emerson, who is one of Ms Gillard's strongest backers, also says the matter must be resolved this week.

"Whatever transpires during the course of the week, in the House, in the Senate, anywhere else - it must be the end of it," he told NewsRadio.

"If anyone thinks that going into the community after this week that this matter can continue to be pressed by those who aren't happy with their positions in the party or the party's position over all then that is complete folly.

"We cannot leave this week as a disunited party."

Backbencher Stephen Jones has called for Caucus to vote on the leadership this week.

"I think it has to be resolved," he told Sky News. "Probably the best way to resolve it would be a ballot.

"I say that in the interests of party unity, in the interests of protecting our legacy, and in the interests of ensuring that Tony Abbott doesn't become the next Prime Minister of Australia."

Unions canvass members on potential change

And as talk continues about whether Ms Gillard still enjoys the support of the union movement, it has been revealed the Australian Services Union has sent an email to its members canvassing opinions on a potential leadership change.

"There is debate occurring over whether or not the leadership of the ALP has an influence on voters voting intentions, and there are constant news reports about replacing Julia Gillard with Kevin Rudd," writes NSW Secretary of the ASU, Sally McManus.

"I would like to know what you think, and whether a change of leader would make any difference to your vote this election."

Labor's internal wrangling has largely given the Opposition a free run through the final weeks of sitting.

In a pointed remark at the 25th anniversary celebrations for Parliament House, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott referred to past events in the House, including "the smashing of one of our last glass ceilings, three years ago today when Australia gained its first female prime minister".

"As a father of three daughters, I don't underestimate the significance of that event," he went on.

On June 23, 2010, Ms Gillard ousted Mr Rudd from the top job.

Coalition retains large lead in polls

The Newspoll also shows the Coalition's primary vote fell by one point, however it remains well ahead on a thumping 48 per cent.

In the two-party preferred vote, the Coalition leads Labor 57 to 43 per cent.

Tony Abbott leads Julia Gillard as preferred prime minister with 45 to 33 percentage points.

MPs and senators are facing a marathon last sitting week in Parliament.

The Senate will sit for an extra day this week as the Government tries to push through more legislation before the election.

The Senate was scheduled to wrap up on Thursday for this term of government, but the Greens have voted with Labor to extend sittings to Friday.

Earlier today, Manager of Opposition business in the Senate, Mitch Fifield, said the Government is trying to restrict debate on more than 50 bills that are yet to pass the Upper House.

"Although the Parliament will be sitting long hours, debate will be gagged, there'll be a guillotine, the Australian public won't get the examination and scrutiny to which they're entitled," he said.

"This Government has known when the election date will be from the start of the year. Therefore, they have had ample opportunity to manage their legislative program and to ensure that there is appropriate scrutiny and examination of each piece of legislation."

PM criticises pessimism about the economy

The Prime Minister began the parliamentary week by slamming what she has described as "unreasonable pessimism" in some circles about the economy.

Ms Gillard told the Committee for Economic Development's State of the Nation annual conference in Canberra that the latest national accounts figures showed the economy was growing, stable and strong.

She criticised commentators for using the "R" word - meaning recession - and ignoring key economic indicators that show the economy was continuing to grow.

"I am concerned that left unchecked, this kind of distorted coverage could continue to spread," she said.

"The continued pessimism is not being matched by the continued performance of our key economic indicators, and low expectations can themselves become an economic problem."