Australian news and politics live: Senator Mehreen Faruqi stages silent protest during G-G Sam Mostyn’s speech

Governor‑General Sam Mostyn has opened her speech, formally commencing the 48th Parliament, by highlighting the unstable environment Australia faces.

Outlining the Government’s agenda for this term, her speech highlighted measures to improve the health of Australians, child care services and reduce the cost of living.

“Today, inflation is moderating, interest rates have fallen, real wages are growing and more than one million jobs have been created,” she read from the Government penned speech.

“Australians together have steered our economy through choppy waters, many however are still under pressure.

“The Government will continue living cost-of-living relief for those doing it tough.”

The Usher of the Black Rod has knocked on the door of the House of Representatives for members to attend the Senate chamber to hear the opening address of the 48th Parliament by Governor‑General Sam Mostyn.

Members, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Sussan Ley, have begun filing across Parliament in the long tradition at the start of a term.

Queensland Labor MP Milton Dick who was re-elected unopposed as Speaker of the House of Representatives earlier on Tuesday has led the procession.

Once there, members will cram into seats around the Senate chamber, which is roughly half the size of the House of Representatives.

The Governor‑General has addressed members of the House of Representatives ahead of her Opening of Parliament.

In her speech, Sam Mostyn called for MPs to take care of themselves and each other.

“Care for the way, particularly in this place, the way we speak to each other and debate the very tough issues of our time without anger or judgement or hate, but always with respect,” she said.

“I share and feel your pride in gathering here in Australia’s Parliament House and your appreciation of this very important moment in the civic life of our country.”

The bells have rung out through Parliament House as senators and members have been summoned to the Senate chamber to hear Australia’s Governor-General Sam Mostyn deliver her speech.

Just prior to calling all politicians to the chamber, Ms Mostyn gave a brief address to senators outside, where she told senators the opening of a new term showed the “remarkable strength of democracy”.

She called on them to make a contribution to a “modern, welcoming and successful” Parliament before wishing them well in the upcoming term.

“It can be brutal. Do take care of yourself,” she said.

The Governor-General gives the speech in the Senate because, by tradition, the Crown’s representative cannot enter the House of Representatives, reflecting Westminster parliamentary conventions.

Shadow foreign affairs assistant Dean Smith has said the Opposition is “disappointed” the Albanese Government has “ chosen to attack Israel” in signing a joint statement alongside dozens of other nations.

The WA senator picked apart the wording of the statement when speaking on Sky on Tuesday.

“Israel is mentioned six times and Hamas is mentioned just once,” he said.

“There’s no doubt that aid and generous aid should be supported in an undisrupted or a way that is uninterfered.

“That is not in dispute but we would argue that the response from the Australian government should have a more thorough focus on what we would characterise as a central element … and that is the continued existence and operation of Hamas as a terrorist organisation.

“It’s on the public record that Hamas has actively been interrupting and interfering with aid deliveries in Gaza.

“So we’re very, very disappointed in the Government’s response, again, in choosing to attack Israel rather than a more balanced response.”

Australia’s Governor-General Sam Mostyn has arrived at Parliament House in Canberra for the first sitting day.

Ms Mostyn received the Royal Salute before inspecting the guard on the forecourt.

She is expected to greet the newly elected Presiding Officers of each House in the Members’ Hall later this afternoon.

Senators and members will then be called to the Senate chamber to receive the Governor-General’s address to officially kick off Parliament.

A 19-gun salute on the forecourt of Parliament House will be held at the end of her speech.

Penny Wong and 27 other foreign ministers condemned Israel over shortages of food and water in the Gaza Strip so severe that Palestinians brave gunfire to save themselves and their families from starvation.

The Gazans’ plight is an outrage against humanity. But it might be fair to ask whether Ms Wong and her counterparts are playing into a analysis of the conflict between Israel and its Muslim opponents that ignores a truth so obvious it should not need to be stated: Hamas can end a war it started at any time.

The lopsided approach is not only due to the enormous public pressure generated by haunting images of malnourished children.

It acknowledges the reality of diplomatic influence. Hamas, a terrorist organisation that celebrates the murder of Jews, is almost immune to international public opinion.

Israel would struggle to survive without US military aid and relies on less-visible support from the rest of the Western world.

FULL ANALYSIS:

The release of a new House of Reps seating plan is always the topic of some discussion in the court intrigue that occupies Parliament’s corridors.

With Labor’s 94-seat majority, this one takes on a whole meaning.

Labor MPs are sprawling across the chamber’s aisle, with five assistant ministers seated in what is traditionally crossbench territory.

In front of them is a whole empty frontbench section, which is a visually striking reminder of the depleted Coalition numbers.

The remaining Opposition members fit into about two-thirds of the space they previously occupied.

The seats right behind the Prime Minister are highly prized because they are in prime position to end up on the nightly news.

Out of the 24 backbench MPs in those spots, 16 are women.

Again, it’s a stark contrast to the Coalition’s benches; they’ve done their best by seating all five of the female backbenchers close behind leader Sussan Ley.

The Greens have welcomed the Government’s move to join dozens of countries in condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza.

Greens leader Larissa Waters said that Australia should send aid to the region with the assistance of other countries signed on to the letter condemning the actions.

“We need to do everything we can to address what is this war of starvation and Australia could be sending aid to that area, and they should,” Ms Waters said.

However, deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi warned that a leters would not help those starving.

“Gaza is starving. Letters are not going to feed them. Letters are not going to stop genocide,” she said.

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has spoken about the “immense responsibility” elected members have as they’re formally returned for the first sitting day of the 48th Parliament.

On her feet in the House of Representatives in her new role as Opposition leader, Ms Ley welcomed new members and vowed to engage in “robust debate” in the national interest.

“We are resolved to do the job that the Australian people have entrusted us with, to be a strong, principled and effective Opposition,” she said.

“As an Opposition we will be constructive where we can and critical when needed.

“This is a great honour and an immense responsibility.”