The ceremony opening the new parliament is rolling on.

In response to the Welcome to Country, Anthony Albanese gave thanks – but did not make any commitments to treaty or truth telling, as requested by the Uluru Statement from the Heart:

I begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, and I pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

And I thank you, Aunty Violet, for your wonderful words of welcome. And thank you to Aunty Lillian as well. As well as thanking Serena Williams and the wonderful cultural performance which we have just witnessed here this morning.

I also want to acknowledge every First Nations member and senator taking their place in the 48th Parliament.

As well as everyone who is back here, and pleased to be back here, both new and re-elected members and senators, and their guests here this morning.

The Welcome to Country is such a powerful way to begin a new Parliament. Like a lot of the most positive things about our nation, we shouldn’t take it for granted. This ceremony did not take place until 2007. And was controversial in 2007. It is not controversial today, nor should it be. It is a respectful way of us beginning our deliberations here in Canberra, which of course, means meeting place.

What a Welcome to Country does, is holds out, like a hand warmly and graciously extended. An opportunity for us to embrace, and to show a profound love of home and country.

It is a reminder as well, of why we all belong here together. That we are stronger together.

And we belong, if I may return to Aunty Violet’s wonderful words, in a spirit of understanding, respect, and shared purpose.

Guided by Minister Malarndirri McCarthy, and following in the footsteps of her two great predecessors, Linda Burney and Ken Wyatt, we keep walking together.

And with every step, we feel the echoes through history.

The footsteps – nearly a century distant from us now – of every First Nations person who trekked to the opening of the first Parliament House down the hill.

The footsteps of the members of the Stolen Generations who came to this place 17 years ago now to hear the words that they needed to hear: ‘I’m sorry’. Uttered by an Australian Prime Minister on behalf of the Australian nation.

That was a day of catharsis built on courage and grace. Ultimately, it was a day of togetherness, and a reminder of our great potential and promise as a nation.

Consider the beautiful set of contradictions that make up who we are.

A youthful nation, yet one of the world’s oldest democracies.

An ancient continent – one we share with the world’s oldest continuous living culture. What an extraordinary privilege. What a source of pride for all Australians.

We have so many facets – and they come together to make a unique whole.

They come together here on the ground, and they come together in the sky above us.

Look up on a clear night when you’re far from city lights and you’ll see the Dark Emu, with the Southern Cross shining on its head.

And when you’re looking at the Southern Cross, look at the star that twinkles most softly. It’s the part of the Southern Cross that features on the Australian flag, but not on the flag of New Zealand.

Several years ago now, the International Astronomical Union formally recognised that star as Ginan, the name given to it by the Wardaman people in the Northern Territory.

To the Wardaman, it represents a red dillybag filled with special songs of knowledge.

It is an Australian star, a piece of ourselves reflected back at us from our great Southern sky.

And it flies above us now, on that giant flag pole on the top of this building. One more reminder that this country – and this Parliament – is our great diversity of chapters coming together.

And the Welcome to Country lets us touch the very beginning of the story – our story. The Australian story.

In the 48th 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.