As Coalition MPs were alerted yesterday to change their travel plans before the October 19 resumption of Parliament, the Liberal Party leadership was reserving its right to filibuster the Government's emissions trading scheme legislation in November and delay a vote until after Christmas.

Any such tactic would need the support of one of the Senate independents - and yesterday both Nick Xenophon and the Family First senator Steve Fielding supported the idea.

Senator Fielding said he would endorse a delay to ensure there was no final vote until next year, after the Copenhagen conference in December where other nations would state their intentions. "I want the vote on the ETS after Copenhagen and I will do whatever I can to make sure that it was after Copenhagen," he said.

Senator Xenophon said he, too, would not be rushed. He said the ETS was a bigger issue than the Wik legislation, which occupied the Senate for weeks.

The Opposition's leader in the Senate, Nick Minchin, told the Sydney Morning Herald the Coalition would not seek to delay the vote by deliberately dragging out the committee stage of the 11 separate bills.

However, he gave no guarantees. "If we move substantial amendments, then there will be a substantial committee stage on the bills," Senator Minchin said.

"They're putting the bill up against our very strong objections in the final two weeks of the year. We must deal with it carefully and in a considered fashion.

"Whether we get to a vote on it remains to be seen."

The Climate Change Minister, Penny Wong, said a delay would contravene Mr Turnbull's offer to negotiate amendments in good faith, and today's meeting of shadow cabinet must rule out the tactic.

Mr Turnbull has staked his leadership on negotiating the Government's scheme during the November sittings.