Signing off
Tim Hammond, the new Labor member for Perth, is now giving his maiden speech in the House of Representatives.
But that's where we're going to end our live coverage of the day's politics - after all, there's a Midwinter Ball to get to.
Thanks muchly for staying with us today, and we'll be back tomorrow.
Tim Wilson: 'I am here to lead change'
Liberal MP Tim Wilson came close to tears thanking his fiance Ryan during his maiden speech.
"I know you have sacrificed so much so that we can be here today, and we are only at the end of the beginning," he said.
"For seven years a ring has sat on both our left hands. They are the answer to a question we still cannot ask.
"No matter what happens we have already achieved more than many who come and go from this place, we have lived the change we seek in the world.
"That is why I am here: to lead change."
Tim Wilson uses his maiden speech to call for a "flat tax" of 20 per cent on all personal income, corporate profits and consumption.
"Australia has always been a net capital importer. To continue attracting capital we must have a competitive and just tax system, and we have to move toward a simpler 20 per cent flat personal, company and consumption tax which would ensure everyone pays, including multinationals on their phantom profits," he says.
Wilson says cynicism is pervasive in modern politics, and calls on politicians to act on the courage of their convictions.
"Politics necessitates compromise on policy. Integrity comes from preferring defeat with your principles, than to win without them," he says.
Tim Wilson
New Liberal MP Tim Wilson - formerly of the Human Rights Commission and the Institute of Public Affairs think tank - is giving his maiden speech in the House of Representatives.
He's the member for the Melbourne seat of Goldstein, named after the suffragette Vida Goldstein, the first woman to seek political office in the British Empire.
Now we're on to economic reform, trade liberalisation, free markets and restructuring industries such as the health sector.
Government faces its first Senate defeat
Liberal senator from Victoria Jane Hume has also just given her maiden speech in the red chamber, watched on by several lower house MPs including Greg Hunt and Tim Wilson.
As my colleagues Amy Remeikis and James Massola report, the government is facing its first Senate defeat in the shape of Labor's banking Royal Commission bill.
The bill is set to be debated tomorrow, and is also supported by One Nation, Jacqui Lambie, Nick Xenophon and the Greens - i.e a majority of the Senate.
It will frustrate the Turnbull government but won't actually force it to hold a Royal Commission, which was rejected this morning in the lower house, where the government controls the numbers.
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It seems Labor senator Sam Dastyari has finally found a willing taker for his $1600 - he says the donation has definitely been accepted this time. He won't say by whom, though - any guesses?
Here's a powerful image from our photographer Alex Ellinghausen: Ken Wyatt, the first Indigenous male MP in the lower house, hugs Linda Burney, the first female, following her maiden speech.
Guess who's coming to dinner?
If we're all a little off the pace tomorrow morning, it's because tonight is Canberra's night of nights - the Midwinter Ball.
It's a big black-tie love-in for pollies, journos and other clingers-on, in the lavish Great Hall of Parliament House. This year it's not so much midwinter as the-very-last-day-of-winter, because of the election campaign.
Half the fun is seeing people's partners and dates. The irrepressible senator Jacqui Lambie is staying tight-lipped about who she's bringing to the ball - but it's safe to say she's doing her best to build the suspense:
Mid Winter ball is tonight. Last year I took my eldest son. Can you guess who I'm taking this year? #auspol #polilyf pic.twitter.com/g05UQe8hKv
— Jacqui Lambie (@JacquiLambie) August 31, 2016
Looks like there are a few moist eyes among Linda Burney's Labor colleagues following that maiden speech. It drew a recent crowd from the Coalition side, as well.
The LNP's Andrew Wallace, elected to the Queensland seat of Fisher, has just stood up for his debut speech. Tim Wilson should follow soon, too.
Linda Burney says she has been overwhelmed by the response to being the first Indigenous woman elected to the House of Reps.
"In truth, I come to this place not only through my own labour. I have travelled paths blazed by those before me, and resting on the shoulders around me," she says.
This speech is quite a riposte to the teacher who told Linda Burney that her people were the closest living thing to the Stone Age
— Annabel Crabb (@annabelcrabb) August 31, 2016
Linda Burney, in her maiden speech, calls for the Aboriginal flag to be flown alongside the Australian flag in the House of Representatives.
She says she intends to bring the fighting Wiradjuri spirit into the chamber: "I won't be stereotyped, I won't be pigeonholed."
Burney notes the irony that her seat of Barton, named after the of the architect of the White Australia Policy, Edmund Barton, has become one of the most multicultural seats in the country - an "ethnic wonderland", she calls it.
She very happily notes that Barton is now "back in the Labor fold" after a brief flirtation with the Liberal Party.
Linda Burney paused during her maiden speech to allow her friend to sing a welcoming song in the Wiradjuri language from the public gallery.
She went on to note that she was born in a time when a white woman having an Aboriginal baby was shocking.
She says she was born at a time when the government knew how many sheep there were in the country but not how many Aboriginal people.
"Being in this chamber today feels a long way from that time," Ms Burney says.
Burney delivers maiden speech
Linda Burney is delivering her maiden speech from the despatch box of the House of Reps.
She is the first Indigenous woman to be elected to that chamber - representing Labor in the Sydney seat of Barton.
Ms Burney is reflecting on the apology to the Stolen Generation delivered by Kevin Rudd in February 2008.
"As the words rang out across this chamber, this land and around the world - 'for this we are sorry' - the country cried and began to breathe again," she says.
Labor isn't giving up on its banking Royal Commission, despite its defeat in the lower house this morning. It's now trying to embarrass the government by pushing through a motion in the Senate, with the support of Jacqui Lambie and One Nation.
Senator Lambie just jumped up brandishing a thick binder of documents she says is evidence of unscrupulous behaviour by the banks, which she is seeking to table.
She also wants the terms of reference for any inquiry to include political donations by the big four banks.
With the backing of Labor, the Greens, One Nation, Xenophon and Lambie, the bill would definitely pass the Senate - though of course it would be rejected when it comes to the House of Reps.
Still, fun and games!
Charity rejects Sam Dastyari's donation
Oh dear. It's just not getting any better for Labor senator Sam Dastyari.
He's been in hot water all day after revelations he had a company linked to the Chinese government cover his excess travel expenses, to the tune of $1600.
When it all came out in the wash, Dastyari quickly apologised and promised to donate the money to charity.
But the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation has rejected Dastyari's donation and returned the money, the ABC is reporting.
The senator's office is saying the money has now been given to a second charity, but won't reveal which one.
Money, huh? Turns out you can't even give it away.
#LATEST Senator Dastyari's office has confirmed the money has been donated to another charity, but won't say which one @abcnews
— Anna Henderson (@annajhenderson) August 31, 2016
NBN documents will be referred to Privileges Committee
The president of the Senate, Stephen Parry, just made a statement on the AFP raids of Senator Stephen Conroy's Melbourne office and the home of a Labor staffer over apparent leaks related to the NBN.
If you recall, the raids came as a big shock during the second week of the election campaign.
Senator Parry says he is satisfied there is precedent for the matter to be referred to the Senate Privileges Committee and so will allow it.
That means the committee will decide whether the documents seized by the AFP can be used in its investigation, or whether they will remain protected under parliamentary privilege.
Only one MP was kicked out of the first Question Time of the 45th Parliament - Labor's Stephen Jones, who was booted under 94a for using props.
I also note that Labor's newly imposed ban on the use of mobile phones during Question Time wasn't particularly well adhered-to - lots of MPs were still vigorously tweeting, including Jones, Tim Watts and Wayne Swan.
Turnbull is giving #QT a re-run of his election night speech. #goingverywell
— Stephen Jones MP (@StephenJonesMP) August 31, 2016
Thanks Stephanie, pleasure to be taking the reins of the blog for the rest of this back-to-school Wednesday.
A few highlights we're expecting from Parliament House this afternoon:
Linda Burney, the first Indigenous woman elected to the House of Representatives, will deliver her maiden speech. I understand she is going to call for Aboriginal flags to be flown inside the chamber.
Tim Wilson, the former Human Rights Commissioner and IPA policy director, will also make his maiden speech as the member for Goldstein.
And Cory Bernardi has announced he will introduce his bill to reform Section 18c of the Racial Discrimination Act, supported by all but one Liberal backbencher in the Senate, and several crossbenchers.
And that's it from question time and from me.
My colleague Michael Koziol is taking over.
I'm off to write our daily politics newsletter but don't forget you can follow me on Facebook.
Thanks for your company today. See you soon.
Labor tries once more on that front.
Mr Turnbull sighs and harks back to yesterday when Labor promised to be collaborative.
Now, he says, it's "one political stunt after another".
"The same old Labor," he concludes.
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