'Unusual': the traditions behind parliament's opening
But on the opening day, traditions dating back hundreds of years defined the procedures.
The House of Representatives and Senate met on Tuesday for the first time since Labor's election win, but before any debate on legislation took place, parliamentary rituals had to be taken care of first.
Parliament was opened up by High Court Chief Justice Stephen Gageler, with all MPs and senators packed into the upper house for the occasion, before returning their respective chambers to be sworn in.
Business then turned to electing a Speaker of the House of Representatives and a Senate president.
Traditionally, once a Speaker is elected, they are dragged to the speaker's chair by other MPs.
The dragging tradition dates back to the early days of the British parliament, when people were reluctantly elected to the role due to predecessors being executed or imprisoned due to the monarch not agreeing with the British parliament's outcome.
House of Representatives Speaker Milton Dick took part in the ceremonial dragging when he was appointed to the role in 2022, and retained his prominent role in parliament.
"When (the traditions) occur for the first time, people see them and they may seem a little unusual," he told AAP.
"This is what our democracy has been built on. They signify some of the foundations of our parliament."
Later in the day, the Usher of the Black Rod, will knock on the door of the House of Representatives three times to invite MPs to the Senate for a speech by Governor-General Sam Mostyn.
The address will outline the priorities of the government during the upcoming three-year term.
The speech can't happen in the House of Representatives due to a convention dating back to 1642, when King Charles I went into British parliament and tried to arrest five people but was unsuccessful.
Since then, any figure related to the crown such as the Governor General is not allowed in the lower house.
Despite the British traditions on display on parliament's opening day, Australian customs were also part of the mix.
The day began with a welcome to country and Indigenous smoking ceremony.
Senate president Sue Lines said the Indigenous elements of the day were an important part of parliament's opening.
"It's important for me and very symbolic that we back our own traditions and acknowledge First Nations (people), and we also have the quirky bits of the Westminster system," Senator Lines told AAP.
"These traditions also reinforce the different roles that the House of Representatives and the Senate has, and sometimes that's a bit lost because we get into the argument and debate."
Official business will get under way later on Tuesday with maiden speeches by MPs before proposed laws are debated on Wednesday.
Dragging MPs, knocking on doors with giant rods and senators in the wrong chamber doesn't sound like a usual day at Parliament House.
But on the opening day, traditions dating back hundreds of years defined the procedures.
The House of Representatives and Senate met on Tuesday for the first time since Labor's election win, but before any debate on legislation took place, parliamentary rituals had to be taken care of first.
Parliament was opened up by High Court Chief Justice Stephen Gageler, with all MPs and senators packed into the upper house for the occasion, before returning their respective chambers to be sworn in.
Business then turned to electing a Speaker of the House of Representatives and a Senate president.
Traditionally, once a Speaker is elected, they are dragged to the speaker's chair by other MPs.
The dragging tradition dates back to the early days of the British parliament, when people were reluctantly elected to the role due to predecessors being executed or imprisoned due to the monarch not agreeing with the British parliament's outcome.
House of Representatives Speaker Milton Dick took part in the ceremonial dragging when he was appointed to the role in 2022, and retained his prominent role in parliament.
"When (the traditions) occur for the first time, people see them and they may seem a little unusual," he told AAP.
"This is what our democracy has been built on. They signify some of the foundations of our parliament."
Later in the day, the Usher of the Black Rod, will knock on the door of the House of Representatives three times to invite MPs to the Senate for a speech by Governor-General Sam Mostyn.
The address will outline the priorities of the government during the upcoming three-year term.
The speech can't happen in the House of Representatives due to a convention dating back to 1642, when King Charles I went into British parliament and tried to arrest five people but was unsuccessful.
Since then, any figure related to the crown such as the Governor General is not allowed in the lower house.
Despite the British traditions on display on parliament's opening day, Australian customs were also part of the mix.
The day began with a welcome to country and Indigenous smoking ceremony.
Senate president Sue Lines said the Indigenous elements of the day were an important part of parliament's opening.
"It's important for me and very symbolic that we back our own traditions and acknowledge First Nations (people), and we also have the quirky bits of the Westminster system," Senator Lines told AAP.
"These traditions also reinforce the different roles that the House of Representatives and the Senate has, and sometimes that's a bit lost because we get into the argument and debate."
Official business will get under way later on Tuesday with maiden speeches by MPs before proposed laws are debated on Wednesday.
Dragging MPs, knocking on doors with giant rods and senators in the wrong chamber doesn't sound like a usual day at Parliament House.
But on the opening day, traditions dating back hundreds of years defined the procedures.
The House of Representatives and Senate met on Tuesday for the first time since Labor's election win, but before any debate on legislation took place, parliamentary rituals had to be taken care of first.
Parliament was opened up by High Court Chief Justice Stephen Gageler, with all MPs and senators packed into the upper house for the occasion, before returning their respective chambers to be sworn in.
Business then turned to electing a Speaker of the House of Representatives and a Senate president.
Traditionally, once a Speaker is elected, they are dragged to the speaker's chair by other MPs.
The dragging tradition dates back to the early days of the British parliament, when people were reluctantly elected to the role due to predecessors being executed or imprisoned due to the monarch not agreeing with the British parliament's outcome.
House of Representatives Speaker Milton Dick took part in the ceremonial dragging when he was appointed to the role in 2022, and retained his prominent role in parliament.
"When (the traditions) occur for the first time, people see them and they may seem a little unusual," he told AAP.
"This is what our democracy has been built on. They signify some of the foundations of our parliament."
Later in the day, the Usher of the Black Rod, will knock on the door of the House of Representatives three times to invite MPs to the Senate for a speech by Governor-General Sam Mostyn.
The address will outline the priorities of the government during the upcoming three-year term.
The speech can't happen in the House of Representatives due to a convention dating back to 1642, when King Charles I went into British parliament and tried to arrest five people but was unsuccessful.
Since then, any figure related to the crown such as the Governor General is not allowed in the lower house.
Despite the British traditions on display on parliament's opening day, Australian customs were also part of the mix.
The day began with a welcome to country and Indigenous smoking ceremony.
Senate president Sue Lines said the Indigenous elements of the day were an important part of parliament's opening.
"It's important for me and very symbolic that we back our own traditions and acknowledge First Nations (people), and we also have the quirky bits of the Westminster system," Senator Lines told AAP.
"These traditions also reinforce the different roles that the House of Representatives and the Senate has, and sometimes that's a bit lost because we get into the argument and debate."
Official business will get under way later on Tuesday with maiden speeches by MPs before proposed laws are debated on Wednesday.
Dragging MPs, knocking on doors with giant rods and senators in the wrong chamber doesn't sound like a usual day at Parliament House.
But on the opening day, traditions dating back hundreds of years defined the procedures.
The House of Representatives and Senate met on Tuesday for the first time since Labor's election win, but before any debate on legislation took place, parliamentary rituals had to be taken care of first.
Parliament was opened up by High Court Chief Justice Stephen Gageler, with all MPs and senators packed into the upper house for the occasion, before returning their respective chambers to be sworn in.
Business then turned to electing a Speaker of the House of Representatives and a Senate president.
Traditionally, once a Speaker is elected, they are dragged to the speaker's chair by other MPs.
The dragging tradition dates back to the early days of the British parliament, when people were reluctantly elected to the role due to predecessors being executed or imprisoned due to the monarch not agreeing with the British parliament's outcome.
House of Representatives Speaker Milton Dick took part in the ceremonial dragging when he was appointed to the role in 2022, and retained his prominent role in parliament.
"When (the traditions) occur for the first time, people see them and they may seem a little unusual," he told AAP.
"This is what our democracy has been built on. They signify some of the foundations of our parliament."
Later in the day, the Usher of the Black Rod, will knock on the door of the House of Representatives three times to invite MPs to the Senate for a speech by Governor-General Sam Mostyn.
The address will outline the priorities of the government during the upcoming three-year term.
The speech can't happen in the House of Representatives due to a convention dating back to 1642, when King Charles I went into British parliament and tried to arrest five people but was unsuccessful.
Since then, any figure related to the crown such as the Governor General is not allowed in the lower house.
Despite the British traditions on display on parliament's opening day, Australian customs were also part of the mix.
The day began with a welcome to country and Indigenous smoking ceremony.
Senate president Sue Lines said the Indigenous elements of the day were an important part of parliament's opening.
"It's important for me and very symbolic that we back our own traditions and acknowledge First Nations (people), and we also have the quirky bits of the Westminster system," Senator Lines told AAP.
"These traditions also reinforce the different roles that the House of Representatives and the Senate has, and sometimes that's a bit lost because we get into the argument and debate."
Official business will get under way later on Tuesday with maiden speeches by MPs before proposed laws are debated on Wednesday.
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