One of Australia's dozen new senators has admitted what they're probably all thinking: the first day in the halls of power is scary.
"It scares the crap out of me," crossbench senator David Leyonhjelm told reporters in Canberra.
Just three of those taking their seats on the red benches for the first time ran the media gauntlet outside Parliament House on Monday.
Matthew Canavan, flanked by his Nationals colleagues, said it all felt rather like the first day of school.
"It's a bit better here though because I get along much better with these teachers than I did with my actual teachers," he said.
The more experienced senators had plenty of advice for the newcomers.
"Take a breath, learn your surroundings and don't make rash statements," was from the Democratic Labour Party's John Madigan.
Labor's Doug Cameron advised them not to panic when they didn't understand what was going on, while independent Nick Xenophon urged them not to be forced into gagging debate on the carbon tax repeal.
Sam Dastyari had similar wisdom to share: "Don't let them bully you, don't work on their timetable."
Newcomer Bob Day said his fellow debutants were eager to prove their critics wrong.
The Family First senator noted the crossbench had been called "a mish-mash, flotsam and jetsam, bunch of barnyard (animals), licorice all-sorts, Star Wars aliens".
"All those things we think are hilarious," he deadpanned. "We're all committed to doing a good job."
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