As she walked into federal Parliament for the first time on Tuesday wearing a bright orange scarf, there was no mistaking Helen Haines as the latest "orange independent" representing Indi.
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MPs did not have much work to do with actual legislation; the day was mainly ceremonial with a "welcome to country" in the Great Hall, the re-election of the speaker and speeches from party leaders.
Dr Haines' husband Phil Haines, children Georgia and Nick Haines, Chris Bush, brother Damian Carew, Maryanne and Tim Carew, friends from Wangaratta and members of her staff watched on from the public gallery as she stood and made an affirmation of allegiance to the Queen.
She is the 18th successive Indi MP and the first independent elected to succeed another in the 118-year history of the Parliament.
"For me the most important thing to start off with is to build relationships with the government, to get to know people, so that's the first order of business. Not to come in with a heavy hand in any shape or form but to get to know people and to talk and start with that and to start and build relationships," she said this week.
IN OTHER NEWS:
The official welcome to Parliament for Dr Haines is expected in September when a big group of supporters from Indi will travel to Canberra for the MP's inaugural speech.
The exact seat previous occupied by Cathy McGowan during her six years sitting in Parliament was not taken by Dr Haines, but by new Warringah MP Zali Steggall.
Indi's new MP was allocated a seat one row closer to the front on the crossbench, on the aisle next to Greens MP Adam Bandt.
Farrer MP Sussan Ley officially returned to the front bench on Tuesday as Environment Minister after resigning her previous ministerial position in January 2017.
She has been allocated a seat to the left of the front bench in the House of Representatives, sitting between Ken Wyatt and Angus Taylor.
Speaker Tony Smith was re-elected to his position for the third time.
Deputy Prime Minister and Riverina MP Michael McCormack was one of the leaders to express his support for Mr Smith, particularly after the Speaker's efforts to call and ask how farmers in the electorate were coping with the drought.
"That's the measure of the man, we've re-elected him, we know he'll do well," he said.
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