Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will pledge to replace a test that ties access to subsidised childcare to the number of hours parents work each fortnight.

Rugby Australia could have an answer from Joe Schmidt this week about extending his coaching contract beyond the British and Irish Lions tour, but believes it has an Australian coach ready and waiting should he walk away.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton will need to significantly reshuffle his frontbench following the retirements of leading Liberal moderates Paul Fletcher and Simon Birmingham.

The RBA has kept the cash rate unchanged at 4.35 per cent in December, for a ninth-straight meeting. The next chance borrowers have for a reprieve is in February.

Australian Federal Police taskforce "Avalite" will be established to combat anti-Semitism in the wake of an arson attack against a synagogue in Melbourne that is now being investigated as a terror incident.