CANBERRA: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese officially opened the 48th session of Australia’s federal parliament, marking a new chapter after Labor’s landslide election victory in May. The ceremony, held in Parliament House’s Great Hall, included a traditional Aboriginal acknowledgement before Albanese called for unity among lawmakers.
“Every day in this new parliament is an opportunity to deliver for Australians,“ Albanese said, emphasizing his government’s commitment to fulfilling election promises. Labor now holds 94 seats in the lower house, matching a historic record, and 28 in the Senate.
Opposition leader Sussan Ley acknowledged the Coalition’s post-election challenges but pledged to hold the government accountable. “We are at a low point, but we will work hard to rebuild,“ she said.
The parliament’s first legislative priority will be reducing student loan debts by 20 per cent, a key campaign pledge. Sessions will resume on Wednesday with debates on new policies. - Bernama-Xinhua
