Political enemies join parliament's first-day love-in. Day two will be a different story
There was the Usher of the Black Rod marching to the House of Representatives – the lower house – to announce that the MPs were required by the governor-general's representative to attend the Senate – the upper house – for the official opening.
It's a tradition founded in gore.
In 1642, King Charles I invaded the British House of Commons, took the Speaker's chair and demanded the surrender of five MPs. The House of Commons, deeply unimpressed, regarded it as a breach of its rights.
Charles later had his head removed. No sovereign, or their vice-regal representative, has since opened a parliament by entering the lower (or people's) house, known in Australia as the House of Representatives.
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Lord only knows what the current King Charles might make of the protest on Tuesday, by Bob Katter, the idiosyncratic Queenslander who, with 32 years under his hat as an MP, rejoices in the title of father of the house.
Katter downright refused to swear allegiance to Charles III, his heirs and successors.
'No,' said Katter, 'I swear allegiance to the Australian people.'
The presence of Australia's oldest peoples in central roles at the parliamentary opening – the Welcome to Country, the smoking ceremony and a performance of traditional dance – was the most striking intimation of an evolving Australian democracy.
When the first Parliament House in Canberra opened in May, 1927, two roughly attired elders, Jimmy Clements and John Noble, were the only Aboriginal people in attendance. Police took exception and told Clements to clear off. The crowd took the side of the old Aboriginal man and he won a spot on the parliamentary steps.
The first Welcome to Country for a new federal parliament, however, took place only 17 years ago, on February 12, 2008, amid much controversy.
The following day, a group of Coalition MPs boycotted then-prime minister Kevin Rudd's apology to Australia's Indigenous people, either walking out of the speech or not attending at all.
They were Peter Dutton, Don Randall, Luke Simpkins, Sophie Mirabella, Dennis Jensen, Wilson Tuckey, Alby Schultz and Concetta Fierravanti-Wells.
None of these people remain in today's parliament. Dutton, who became the leader of the Coalition and embraced opposition to the referendum for an Indigenous Voice to parliament, lost his seat of Dickson in May's federal election.
His successor as opposition leader, Ley, took a nuanced response to Aunty Violet's address.
'May it set the tone as we recommit ourselves to the taking of practical action to improve lives and expand opportunities for Indigenous Australians in every part of our great country,' she said.
The warmth of the day's events was captured on the floor of the Senate, when two politicians who use wheelchairs to get around were captured embracing by this masthead's photographer, Dominic Lorrimer.
Labor's Ali France, who replaced Dutton in the Queensland seat of Dickson, lost a leg in an accident and often uses a motorised chair. The Greens senator Jordon Steele-John has cerebral palsy. Politics wafted away as they hugged.
The tumultuous world beyond couldn't be denied, however.
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A crowd of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered on the lawns outside, demanding an end to Israel's war on Gaza.
The Albanese government decided it was time to sign a statement formally calling for an end to the war, too, and condemning the 'drip-feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children'.
Ley dodged questions on whether she would support the statement.
Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Michaelia Cash was more direct.
'It is disappointing that once again the Albanese government is supporting a statement attacking Israel,' Cash declared.
Politics, we can be assured, will recommence in short order, and Tuesday's dawn church service will be a memory.
Lest we forget too readily, here are parts of the readings given by the leaders.
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Britain and India have signed a free trade agreement during a visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sealing a deal to cut tariffs on goods from textiles to whisky and cars and allow more market access for businesses. Keir Starmer and Narendra Modi met at Chequers, the British leader's official country residence outside London, where the UK and Indian trade ministers, Jonathan Reynolds and Piyush Goyal, formally signed the agreement. Starmer said it was "the biggest and most economically significant trade deal" Britain has made since leaving the European Union in 2020. Modi said it was "a historic day in our bilateral relations." Alongside the agreement, the two countries announced almost STG6 billion ($A12 billion) in trade and investment deals in areas including AI, aerospace and dairy products, and pledged to work more closely together in areas such as defence, migration, climate and health. 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Formal talks began in 2022 on a free trade agreement that then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed as a key goal after Britain left the EU. Johnson famously promised to have a deal done by the Diwali holiday in October of that year. The two countries held 13 rounds of negotiations without a breakthrough before talks were suspended while both nations held general elections in 2024. Almost two million people in the UK have roots in India, where Britain was the colonial power until independence in 1947. Starmer said Britain and India "have unique bonds of history, of family and of culture, and we want to strengthen our relationship further, so that it is even more ambitious, modern and focused on the long term." Speaking as England and India face off in a Test cricket series, Modi sad the sport was "a great metaphor for our partnership." "There may be a swing and a miss at times but we always play with a straight bat," he said. "We are committed to building a high-scoring, solid partnership." with Reuters Britain and India have signed a free trade agreement during a visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sealing a deal to cut tariffs on goods from textiles to whisky and cars and allow more market access for businesses. Keir Starmer and Narendra Modi met at Chequers, the British leader's official country residence outside London, where the UK and Indian trade ministers, Jonathan Reynolds and Piyush Goyal, formally signed the agreement. Starmer said it was "the biggest and most economically significant trade deal" Britain has made since leaving the European Union in 2020. Modi said it was "a historic day in our bilateral relations." Alongside the agreement, the two countries announced almost STG6 billion ($A12 billion) in trade and investment deals in areas including AI, aerospace and dairy products, and pledged to work more closely together in areas such as defence, migration, climate and health. The trade agreement between India and Britain, the world's fifth- and sixth-largest economies, was announced in May, more than three years after negotiations started, and stalled, under Britain's previous Conservative government. The UK government said the deal will reduce India's average tariff on British goods from 15 per cent to three per cent. Import taxes on whisky and gin will be halved from 150 per cent to 75 per cent before falling to 40 per cent by year 10 of the deal. Automotive tariffs will fall from over 100 per cent to 10 per cent under a quota. Britain said the deal is expected to increase bilateral trade by STG25.5 billion annually from 2040 and add almost STG5 billion a year to the British economy. India's Trade Ministry said in May that 99 per cent of Indian exports will face no import duty under the deal, which applies to products including clothes, shoes and food. Formal talks began in 2022 on a free trade agreement that then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed as a key goal after Britain left the EU. Johnson famously promised to have a deal done by the Diwali holiday in October of that year. The two countries held 13 rounds of negotiations without a breakthrough before talks were suspended while both nations held general elections in 2024. Almost two million people in the UK have roots in India, where Britain was the colonial power until independence in 1947. Starmer said Britain and India "have unique bonds of history, of family and of culture, and we want to strengthen our relationship further, so that it is even more ambitious, modern and focused on the long term." Speaking as England and India face off in a Test cricket series, Modi sad the sport was "a great metaphor for our partnership." "There may be a swing and a miss at times but we always play with a straight bat," he said. "We are committed to building a high-scoring, solid partnership." with Reuters Britain and India have signed a free trade agreement during a visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sealing a deal to cut tariffs on goods from textiles to whisky and cars and allow more market access for businesses. Keir Starmer and Narendra Modi met at Chequers, the British leader's official country residence outside London, where the UK and Indian trade ministers, Jonathan Reynolds and Piyush Goyal, formally signed the agreement. Starmer said it was "the biggest and most economically significant trade deal" Britain has made since leaving the European Union in 2020. Modi said it was "a historic day in our bilateral relations." Alongside the agreement, the two countries announced almost STG6 billion ($A12 billion) in trade and investment deals in areas including AI, aerospace and dairy products, and pledged to work more closely together in areas such as defence, migration, climate and health. The trade agreement between India and Britain, the world's fifth- and sixth-largest economies, was announced in May, more than three years after negotiations started, and stalled, under Britain's previous Conservative government. The UK government said the deal will reduce India's average tariff on British goods from 15 per cent to three per cent. Import taxes on whisky and gin will be halved from 150 per cent to 75 per cent before falling to 40 per cent by year 10 of the deal. Automotive tariffs will fall from over 100 per cent to 10 per cent under a quota. Britain said the deal is expected to increase bilateral trade by STG25.5 billion annually from 2040 and add almost STG5 billion a year to the British economy. India's Trade Ministry said in May that 99 per cent of Indian exports will face no import duty under the deal, which applies to products including clothes, shoes and food. Formal talks began in 2022 on a free trade agreement that then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed as a key goal after Britain left the EU. Johnson famously promised to have a deal done by the Diwali holiday in October of that year. The two countries held 13 rounds of negotiations without a breakthrough before talks were suspended while both nations held general elections in 2024. Almost two million people in the UK have roots in India, where Britain was the colonial power until independence in 1947. Starmer said Britain and India "have unique bonds of history, of family and of culture, and we want to strengthen our relationship further, so that it is even more ambitious, modern and focused on the long term." Speaking as England and India face off in a Test cricket series, Modi sad the sport was "a great metaphor for our partnership." "There may be a swing and a miss at times but we always play with a straight bat," he said. "We are committed to building a high-scoring, solid partnership." with Reuters Britain and India have signed a free trade agreement during a visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sealing a deal to cut tariffs on goods from textiles to whisky and cars and allow more market access for businesses. Keir Starmer and Narendra Modi met at Chequers, the British leader's official country residence outside London, where the UK and Indian trade ministers, Jonathan Reynolds and Piyush Goyal, formally signed the agreement. Starmer said it was "the biggest and most economically significant trade deal" Britain has made since leaving the European Union in 2020. Modi said it was "a historic day in our bilateral relations." Alongside the agreement, the two countries announced almost STG6 billion ($A12 billion) in trade and investment deals in areas including AI, aerospace and dairy products, and pledged to work more closely together in areas such as defence, migration, climate and health. The trade agreement between India and Britain, the world's fifth- and sixth-largest economies, was announced in May, more than three years after negotiations started, and stalled, under Britain's previous Conservative government. The UK government said the deal will reduce India's average tariff on British goods from 15 per cent to three per cent. Import taxes on whisky and gin will be halved from 150 per cent to 75 per cent before falling to 40 per cent by year 10 of the deal. Automotive tariffs will fall from over 100 per cent to 10 per cent under a quota. Britain said the deal is expected to increase bilateral trade by STG25.5 billion annually from 2040 and add almost STG5 billion a year to the British economy. India's Trade Ministry said in May that 99 per cent of Indian exports will face no import duty under the deal, which applies to products including clothes, shoes and food. Formal talks began in 2022 on a free trade agreement that then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed as a key goal after Britain left the EU. Johnson famously promised to have a deal done by the Diwali holiday in October of that year. The two countries held 13 rounds of negotiations without a breakthrough before talks were suspended while both nations held general elections in 2024. Almost two million people in the UK have roots in India, where Britain was the colonial power until independence in 1947. Starmer said Britain and India "have unique bonds of history, of family and of culture, and we want to strengthen our relationship further, so that it is even more ambitious, modern and focused on the long term." Speaking as England and India face off in a Test cricket series, Modi sad the sport was "a great metaphor for our partnership." "There may be a swing and a miss at times but we always play with a straight bat," he said. "We are committed to building a high-scoring, solid partnership." with Reuters
