Political leaders come face to face on new battleground

Andrew Brown, Tess Ikonomou and Dominic Giannini | July 21, 2025

Australia’s political leaders have come together in a moving ceremony at the Australian War Memorial ahead of the resumption of parliamentary hostilities.

The new parliament begins on Tuesday, after the prime minister secured a second term in power following his dominant victory at the May election.

Following tradition, members of the government and the opposition attended a Last Post ceremony in the nation’s capital on the eve of the first day of parliament.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Sussan Ley stood next to each other on Monday afternoon as they paid their respects.

The prime minister said the tradition served as a reminder of the cost of war.

Labor is returning after a landslide win that handed the party 94 of the 150 House of Representatives seats.

The opposition is pledging to “come out swinging” despite a crushing loss and uncertainty over its policy platform.

Despite months of poor polling leading up to the campaign, the unexpected scale of the win means the government is the first in almost 60 years not to lose a seat at a federal election.

The prime minister took an agenda to voters that promised further action on cost-of-living pressures after high inflation became the defining issue of his first term.

Addressing the Labor caucus on Monday at Parliament House in Canberra, Mr Albanese called for discipline.

“If we maintain that sense of discipline, sense of purpose, clear idea about why we are here … there is no reason why every single one of you can’t just be returned to the next parliament, but can’t be added to as well,” he said.

The prime minister said the government “must work hard to repay the faith that has been shown in us”.

Mr Albanese laid out Labor’s agenda for the first week of parliament, including introducing legislation to slash HECS debts by 20 per cent and increase safety measures for childcare centres.

As politicians arrived in Canberra, the prime minister braved a winter morning to walk from The Lodge to parliament before official proceedings, arriving alongside his son Nathan.

Ms Ley addressed her joint party room for the first time since the coalition’s election disaster, which cut its numbers to 43 seats.

“Our policies are up for review, but our values are not,” she said.

During the meeting, Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce spoke about his opposition to a net-zero emissions target as he proposes to move a private member’s bill to scrap a 2050 goal.

Energy and climate policy remain powder kegs for the coalition as it enters the new term, with the Liberals and Nationals yet to arrive on a position on key issues such as an election pledge to build Commonwealth-backed nuclear power plants.

Ms Ley has batted away questions on the policy area, insisting the coalition is waiting for a post-election review to be completed first.

Nationals leader David Littleproud said the coalition was humble and prepared for a tough path back to forming government.

“But we can do one of two things: we can sit in the corner in the fetal position and give up, or we can come out swinging,” he said.

“And I can tell you what we will do is come out swinging.”