Items of Notice for the 48th Parliament

It may have been a few months since the 47^th Parliament concluded, and as new and returning Members of Parliament, Senators, staffers and Ministers make their way to Canberra for the opening of the 48^th Parliament, the Nexus APAC team has compiled eight key focuses for business leaders, organisation heads and government relations leaders to watch during the first sitting weeks.

Opening of the 48^th Parliament

Just as the Governor-General, Her Excellency Sam Mostyn AC, dissolved the 47^th Parliament for the 2025 Federal Election, she will also reopen Parliament next week. This will mark the start of the 48^th Parliament and the second term of the Albanese-led Labor Government.

Since 2008, the opening of Parliament has begun with a Welcome to Country, with this tradition now enshrined in the standing orders of Parliament. Following this, the Clerk of the Senate will read a proclamation from the Governor-General calling Parliament together, and senators and members of parliament will enter their respective chambers.

Once all members are in place, the Usher of the Black Rod will summon the members of parliament to the Senate, where the Governor-General will formally open the 48^th  Parliament.

This occurs in the Senate because Westminster system tradition dictates that the Crown is prohibited from entering the House of Commons, or in this case, the House of Representatives, as this is the ‘people’s house’.

Following the opening, each of the new MPs and Senators will be sworn in, and the House of Representatives and Senate will elect a Speaker and a President, respectively.

Both roles will be held by the same officeholders as in the 47^th Parliament. In the House of Representatives, the Speaker, the Hon Milton Dick MP, has been nominated uncontested. In the Senate, the President, Senator the Hon Sue Lines, has three years remaining in her current term.

Finally, the Governor-General will recall Members to the Senate and deliver a speech outlining the government’s legislative priorities for the 48^th Parliament, marking the end of the ceremony and the beginning of the next term.

First QT Question – First Question from the First Liberal Female Leader

The first question of every Parliament is awarded to the sitting Opposition Leader. In the 48^th Parliament, this will be the Opposition Leader, the Hon Sussan Ley MP. Her question will offer early insight into her party’s priorities for the term ahead, and into her leadership style.

In the 47^th Parliament, the Hon Peter Dutton, then Opposition Leader, addressed his first question to the Government on rising house prices and allegations involving the CFMEU.

In the 46^th Parliament, now Prime Minister, the Hon Anthony Albanese MP, used his first question to challenge the Government’s economic narrative.

In the 45^th Parliament, former Opposition Leader, the Hon Bill Shorten, used his first question to criticise banking sector regulations.

It will be interesting to see how Opposition Leader Ley sets the tone for the 48^th Parliament.

Committee Chairs and Deputy Chairs

Following the first day’s ceremonial and procedural proceedings, Prime Minister Albanese will announce committees and chairs for the 48^th Parliament, while Opposition Leader Ley will nominate the deputy chairs.

Although often overlooked, committees will become more critical than ever for the Albanese Labor Government, as they serve to engage backbenchers and help maintain caucus unity.

It will be particularly interesting to monitor which rising backbenchers are appointed to which committees, as this may provide insight into future portfolio assignments.

Parliamentary Friendship Groups and Re-established

As all Parliamentary Friendship Groups (ParliFriends) are dissolved when Parliament ends, their re-establishment is among the many administrative tasks to be undertaken in the first days of the new term.

To form a ParliFriend Group, two co-chairs from different political parties are required. As a result, these groups often address bipartisan issues and can reflect wider community priorities. For example, there has been growing support for the ParliFriends of Cystic Fibrosis, and the ParliFriends of Melanoma and Skin Cancer.

It will be interesting to watch for the creation of any new ParliFriends Groups and the identities of their co-chairs, as this provides insight into cross-party issues of interest and the members actively engaged with them.

Caucus and Party Room – Media Present

The Labor Caucus meets every Monday before a sitting week. While this typically happens behind closed doors, Prime Minister Albanese has invited the media to take snapshots. This meeting is expected to be ceremonial in nature, showcasing Labor’s already established agenda as it enters its second term.

The Liberal Party Room meets on Tuesdays during sitting weeks. Similarly, this is usually a private event, but Opposition Leader Ley has also invited media to attend. She is expected to use this opportunity to reinforce her narrative of working with the Australian people, and to position the Liberal Party as forward-looking and solution-focused for the new term.

First Speeches of New MPs

Once Parliament formally opens, all newly elected Members of Parliament will deliver their maiden speeches, a tradition inherited from the British House of Commons. These speeches are significant, as they provide each new MP an opportunity to outline what they hope to achieve.

Maiden speeches often reveal a Member’s personal values and policy priorities. For example, Mr Albanese used his own first speech to highlight the importance of the working class and universal healthcare, both of which featured prominently in his May 2025 re-election campaign.

Legislation – what is the first legislation introduced

While it is typically unknown which bill a government will introduce first in a new term, the Albanese Labor Government has confirmed that the first piece of legislation will be to cut student loan debt by 20%.

This will be only the beginning of the legislative agenda in the first sitting week. With Parliament having been dissolved for nearly four months, Ministers are expected to move quickly to introduce bills aligned with Labor’s election platform, such as extending electricity subsidies and reducing the cost of PBS medicine to $25.

The first piece of legislation can often signal the Government’s central focus for the term. In this case, it will be the cost of living and the declining quality of life for young Australians.

Photo credit: Dietmar Rabich