A humiliated Malcolm Turnbull has warned Coalition MPs to lift their game and show more discipline, as Labor celebrated exposing the government's shaky control of the Parliament.

The Prime Minister slapped down senior ministers Peter Dutton, Christian Porter and Michael Keenan for their "complacency" in departing Parliament early on Thursday, leaving the government without a majority in the lower house and unable to adjourn debate.

On Friday, Fairfax Media revealed Labor placed spotters at Canberra Airport and sent backbench MPs on false flag departures from their offices before capitalising on the missing MPs to highlight the flaws of the government's bare majority.

Labor seized on the opportunity, coming close to pushing through a motion calling on the government to establish a royal commission into the banking industry.