Australia's 46th Parliament gets down to business

Australia's 46th Parliament has ended its first week at work, with the Coalition eventually scoring a win on its tax-cut legislation.

A happy Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg Source: AAP

The 46th Parliament of Australia has begun work in Canberra, welcoming 19 new Senators and 27 new members - and a new Governor-General, David Hurley.

Governor-General of Australia General David Hurley arrives delivers his address n the Senate at Parliament House in Canberra, Tuesday, 2 July 2019. Source: AAP

The number of women in the Australian parliament is at a record high with women now making up a third of all federal MPs, following the May election.

The Liberal National Coalition now has 28 women in the parliament - 14 in the Lower House and 14 in the Senate.

While it is an increase from the previous term, it's almost half of Labor's 46 female representatives - 28 MPs and 18 senators.

Newly elected member for Warringah Zali Steggall and fellow members pose for photographs at Parliament House in Canberra Source: AAP

The first day of the new Parliamentary term was devoted to tradition and ceremony.

Parliament hit a sombre tone on its second day, both houses pausing for a day of tribute for the late Australian Prime Minister, Bob Hawke.

Parliament has spent its second sitting day honouring the late Labor Prime Minister Bob Hawke Source: AAP

It was a moment of calm and a rare display of unity before the floodgates opened with the Coalition's multi-billion-dollar tax-cut package taking centre stage.

After an easy path through the Lower House, the government secured promises for the necessary four cross-bench votes to get the bill passed in the Senate, and Labor bowed to the inevitable, with Treasury spokesman Jim Chalmers announcing Labor too would support the plan.

The Morrison government notched up its first major win as its tax cuts package cleared parliament. (AAP) Source: AAP

The woes continued for Labor, with senior party executive Noah Carroll quitting his job in light of the party's shock election defeat and Union boss John Setka launching a challenge in the Supreme Court to stop his expulsion from the party.

Press Freedom also featured in this week of politics, following AFP raids on the ABC and Newscorp journalist Annika Smethurst.

AFP officers searching the ABC offices in Sydney. Source: Twitter

The Government pushed for the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security to oversee an inquiry limited to national security laws, rather than a wider probe tackling defamation and whistleblower protection as media bosses have called for.

Meanwhile, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton introduced revised anti-terror legislation to the Lower House which could temporarily prevent citizens suspected of terrorism from returning to Australia for up to two years.

Legal experts criticised details of Australia's plan to ban foreign fighters from returning. Source: AAP

With the first three days of sitting over, parliamentarians will have two weeks off before returning for a fortnight of sittings from Monday the 22nd of July.