I still rate the apology to the stolen generations - along with the apology for forced adoptions - as among the best moments I've been privileged enough to cover.
![Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd gives 8-year-old Ngunnawal-Ngambri dancer Jalea Connors a kiss after being presented ...](/web/20170213233559im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/u/c/a/0/d/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.guca69.png/1487028923632.jpg)
To mark the changes Bill Shorten and Tanya Plibersek were led into the meeting by Pat Dodson, Linda Burney and Malarndirri McCarthy.
![Linda Burney, Malarndirri McCarthy and Pat Dodson welcomed Opposition Leader Bill Shorten to the ALP caucus meeting.](/web/20170213233559im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/u/c/9/5/e/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.guc97j.png/1487027187601.jpg)
It will also fly the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags alongside the Australian flag.
![Senator Pat Dodson addressed the ALP caucus on Tuesday.](/web/20170213233559im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/u/c/8/q/d/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.guc90s.png/1487026893950.jpg)
It being Tuesday MPs are holding their party room meetings.
Labor has announced that from now on it will begin such occasions with an acknowledgement of country.
![Opposition Leader Bill Shorten asked Senator Pat Dodson to address the ALP caucus on Tuesday.](/web/20170213233559im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/u/c/8/q/h/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.guc8z9.png/1487026835936.jpg)
A blast from the past.
Former prime minister Kevin Rudd is in town and has been speaking to Sky News. He's asked if he has any advice for Tony Abbott.
Cue long laughter from Mr Rudd.
Then: "Let the Tories sort out their own mess.....Whoever is in prime minister of the country, for god's sake stand up for what you believe in."
![Former prime minister Kevin Rudd was presented with a boomerang during the Redfern Statement breakfast in the Great Hall ...](/web/20170213233559im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/u/c/9/8/v/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.guc7vl.png/1487027389226.jpg)
The Nick Xenophon Team was not pleased and announced it would not support the bill early this morning.
"As a negotiating tactic, this is as subtle as a sledgehammer. Pitting battling Australians against Australians needing disability support services is dumb policy and even dumber politics," Senator Xenophon said.
"Of course we support child care reforms. Of course we support a fully funded NDIS. But these measures should never be off the back of our nation's most disadvantaged," Rebekha Sharkie, NXT's lower house MP, said.
When the legislation was introduced last week it also had a few things tucked away in it such as raising the age of eligibility for the dole.
But yesterday the government really angered the crossbench by adding in the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
You will remember that yesterday the government attempted to force Labor into a reverse wedgie by linking funding for the National Disability Insurance Scheme to the savings contained in its welfare legislation.
The legislation contains more money for childcare but cuts to paid parental leave and family tax payments. It also does things like raise the eligibility for the dole.
The Coalition has done sweet FA on childcare since it came to office in 2013. But it always had trouble arguing that people could only have them if they accepted the cuts to family tax payments.
Before I turn my attention to the welfare bizzo let's not forget that today is the day the Prime Minister updates the house on how the government is going on Indigenous disadvantage.
Yesterday was the 9th anniversary of the apology to the stolen generation.
![Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull with Ngunnawal elders at an Indigenious function on Monday night.](/web/20170213233559im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/u/c/7/0/r/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.guc792.png/1487023570735.jpg)
Hello and welcome to the day in politics with me, Andrew Meares and Alex Ellinghausen.
It's a pleasure to have your company.
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