Opening of the 48th Parliament

After four long months, join us at Nexus APAC as we cover the opening of the 48^th Parliament and the first sitting week for the second term Albanese Labor Government.

Welcome to Country and Opening Speeches

As per the standing orders, the official opening of the 48^th Parliament began with a Welcome to Country performed by Ngunnawal elder Aunty Violet Sheridan, which was accompanied by traditional First Nations dances.

Following this, Prime Minister the Hon Anthony Albanese MP and Opposition Leader the Hon Sussan Ley MP delivered their first formal addresses in the new Parliament.

The Prime Minister’s Address

Prime Minister Albanese used his address to reflect on the importance of acknowledging Australia’s rich history and the progress made within Parliament. He specifically highlighted that the tradition of a Welcome to Country at the opening of parliament began in 2007, describing it as “a respectful way of us beginning our deliberations here in Canberra, which, of course, means meeting place.”

Prime Minister Albanese described Australia as a “beautiful set of contradictions” that “come together to make a unique whole. They come together here on the ground, and they come together in the sky above us.” He went on to compare the Australian and New Zealand flags, noting that aside from differences in colour, the key distinction is the inclusion of the smallest star in the Southern Cross on the Australian flag known as ‘Ginan’, a name formally recognised by the International Astronomical Union and originally given by the Wardaman people of the Northern Territory.

This gesture of recognition and respect signals the Albanese Labor Government’s ongoing commitment carried over from the 47th Parliament to addressing the inequalities faced by First Nations people. As Prime Minister Albanese expressed in his closing remarks: “In the 48^th Parliament, we write the next chapter. Let us do it with the same sense of grace and courage that First Nations people show us with their leadership.”

The Opposition Leader’s Address

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley used her address as a call to action, urging MPs to let the Welcome to Country “set the tone for what needs to be done in the next Parliament.” She said it “offers another opportunity to write it well through practical, lasting change.” Like the Prime Minister, she also spoke about the significance of First Nations culture, “the oldest living in the world, rooted in land, language and story,” and emphasised the need to act to protect it.

The Opposition Leader went on to highlight the importance of working with communities to improve education, access to healthcare, and to address the rise in domestic violence, particularly in regional and remote communities. She called on the Government to deliver meaningful change, stating they must “back them with action, not just words.”

Governor-General Speech

While most speeches focus on just three or four points, the speech delivered by the Governor-General, Her Excellency the Hon Sam Mostyn AC, underscored the extensive workload ahead for the second-term Albanese Labor Government, outlining 15 major agenda items:

• Easing?cost-of-living?pressure
• Strengthening Medicare
• Affordable housing
• Childcare and education
• Building a stronger economy
• Working for women
• First Nations Australians
• Infrastructure
• Climate change, energy and the environment
• Resources and industry
• Foreign affairs and trade
• Defence and national security
• Veterans’ affairs
• Fostering?a?multicultural Australia
• Arts and culture

Throughout her address, the Governor-General echoed the core themes of the Albanese Government’s campaign, emphasising the the aspiration that “no one is held back—and no one is left behind,” alongside the overarching goal of “building Australia’s future.”

The Governor-General also used the address to highlight Australia’s democracy and the importance of strengthening trust in democratic processes during a time of global uncertainty and declining electoral turnouts.

The Speaker and the President

As noted in last week’s article, the Hon Milton Dick MP was re-elected unopposed as Speaker of the House. With the ALP holding a strong majority in the House of Representatives, support from the Crossbench or Coalition was not required. However, backing from across the political spectrum reflected broad recognition of his performance in the role during the previous term, and confidence in his ability to remain impartial and uphold the standing orders of the House.

It was widely expected that Senator the Hon Sue Lines would be re-elected unopposed as President of the Senate. While she was ultimately elected, One Nation Leader Senator Pauline Hanson made a surprise move by nominating Senator David Pocock for the role. Caught off guard by the nomination, Senator Pocock expressed his gratitude but respectfully declined, stating that his focus remains on representing the people of the Australian Capital Territory.

First Bill Introduced to Parliament

Fulfilling a key election commitment, the Labor Party marked the first legislative act of the 48^th Parliament as Education Minister the Hon Jason Clare MP introduced the Universities Accord (Cutting Student Debt by 20%) Bill. The Bill is scheduled for debate in the House of Representatives next week.

Question Time

While there was an initial display of goodwill and cordiality between parties at the opening of parliament, it quickly gave way as both sides shifted into gear for the first Question Time of the 48^th Parliament on Wednesday, 23 July.

As is tradition, Opposition Leader Ley took the floor and addressed the first question to the Prime Minister, stating, “The Prime Minister promised to deliver 1.2 million homes, but he has let down young Australians by delivering just 17. With leaked Treasury advice confirming this is a broken promise, will the Prime Minister abandon his failing policies and work constructively with the Coalition to address Labor’s housing crisis?”

Unsurprisingly, the Opposition Leader seized the opportunity to capitalise on the political advantage presented by leaked Treasury advice regarding Labor’s housing policy.

Looking ahead, it is likely the Coalition will continue along similar lines in future Question Time sessions, probing for weaknesses in the Government’s policies and highlighting broken promises or perceived shortcomings.

Standout moments from the first week

To mark the beginning of the 48^th Parliament, here are some standout moments you may have missed amid the whirlwind of the first sitting week:

• The Hon Bob Katter MP opted to swear his allegiance to the Australian people rather than the sovereign, turning towards the gallery whilst doing so to make sure his point was heard.
• During Ms Julie Ann-Campbell MP’s maiden speech, she was continually interrupted by a heckler in the crowd. However, this turned out to be her daughter calling out from the viewing gallery.
• During the excitement of Question Time, the Hon Scott Buchholz MP pushed the boundaries too far and became the first member of the 48^th Parliament to be booted from the chamber by the Speaker of the House under section 94A of the House of Representatives Standing Orders.

Photo credit: JJ Harrison