LEIGH SALES, PRESENTER: Laura Tingle is back with us now.

Laura, since that interview was recorded, Bill Shorten pulled Labor's amendments to the encryption bill and that has now passed the Parliament.

What happened? Why did Labor change tack on that?

LAURA TINGLE, CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, if you were a cynic, Leigh, you would think that was what they were always planning to do after the six o'clock news. I'm not sure whether that is right or not but certainly Labor has blinked.

This was in the context of the Government indicating that they were going to basically blame Labor for any terror attacks over Christmas.

The politics was getting really filthy and I think they just decided that it was not worth the risk and not worth giving the Government a political attack when the Government has been so on the ropes for the last two weeks.

LEIGH SALES: Laura Tingle, thank you very much.

LAURA TINGLE: Thanks Leigh.