The Turnbull government has suffered more embarrassing scenes in Parliament, with senators forced to give rambling monologues about their colleagues and favourite television shows because the government had no bills ready for debate.

The filibuster tactics in the Senate, which ran for four hours, followed the debacle in the House of Representatives two weeks ago when the government lost several divisions because MPs had left early.

Government senators were told on Monday morning that they would have to give 20 minute speeches to pad out the government business session until Question Time at 2pm.

Some of the government's most senior cabinet ministers, including Defence Minister Marise Payne and Cabinet Secretary Arthur Sinodinos, were called in to give speeches to keep the Senate operational.