Julia Gillard's replacement used her first words to parliament to pay tribute to the former prime minister.
New Victorian Labor MP Joanne Ryan, a former school principal, said she was well aware she had very big shoes to fill in the seat of Lalor.
"Every day for 16 years we saw our local member set her alarm clock early and go out and stand up for the things she believed in and the things we believed in," Ms Ryan told parliament in her first speech on Monday.
"She made a difference at Werribee Primary School, she made a difference in Washington, DC."
Ms Ryan said she was in parliament because she was a Werribee person - one of the suburbs in the western Melbourne seat - the woman her family made her, a Labor person and a teacher.
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The seventh child in a family of eight, Ms Ryan said she was no stranger to "speaking your piece" and couldn't wait to start taking the fight to the coalition.
The new Liberal member for Hindmarsh, Matt Williams, was keen to promote the produce of his home state of South Australia, including Rossi and RM Williams boots and Coopers beer.
Mr Williams also noted he was a keen cyclist - something that could make him popular with Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
"While recognising there may be a more popular and famous cyclist in our chamber, the most significant event for me was a charity bike ride in South Australia's beautiful Clare Valley, which raised close to $100,000," the new MP said.
Michael Sukkar, the new Liberal member for Deakin, said he would fight in parliament for the traditional values of liberalism, including small government and ending a "culture of dependency" on welfare.
"My conservatism has been informed by the two most significant influences on my life: my family and my faith," the 32-year-old told parliament.
"Like many, my family background and upbringing is what shapes and informs my fundamental political values and ultimately my mission in this place."
Labor's Lisa Chesters, the first woman to be elected to the federal seat of Bendigo, took aim at the fact there was only one woman on the coalition's front bench.
"Perhaps some in this parliament are still wearing gender lenses," she said.
"From parliament to the boardroom, to communities here and overseas, there is still a lot of work to be done to advance the status of women."
